A New Castle, Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to a cocaine trafficking operation and firearm offenses. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Daniel Feliciano, 49, entered his plea before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab on February 12, 2026. According to information presented in court, Feliciano conspired with others between October 2022 and March 2024 to distribute cocaine in Western Pennsylvania, focusing on the New Castle area. He also admitted to distributing or possessing with intent to distribute cocaine on three separate occasions and possessing firearms as a convicted felon during his drug trafficking activities.
Law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Feliciano’s residence on March 14, 2024. Authorities seized about 150 grams of cocaine and crack cocaine, digital scales with cocaine residue, drug packaging materials, nearly $2,000 in cash, three cell phones, three firearms—including two loaded semi-automatic pistols and one .40 caliber pistol—and more than 2,400 rounds of ammunition.
Investigators concluded that Feliciano kept these firearms for protection related to his drug operations. He had previously been convicted of aggravated assault in Puerto Rico in 2002 and served two years in prison. Federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The statutory maximum sentence for Feliciano’s offenses is at least five years and up to life imprisonment, along with a possible fine of up to $5 million. Sentencing will depend on the seriousness of the crimes and Feliciano’s criminal history under federal guidelines.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting the case.
Feliciano was among 17 individuals indicted in March 2024 from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Puerto Rico; and Youngstown, Ohio. The group was accused of transporting drugs from Puerto Rico for distribution across Western Pennsylvania and Ohio. Feliciano is the last defendant among them to plead guilty.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Task Force, and United States Postal Inspection Service. Additional support came from several local police departments as well as federal agencies including the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
Lawrence County received its HIDTA designation from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in July 2022. This status provides federal resources aimed at coordinating efforts against drug trafficking within six counties in Western Pennsylvania.
This prosecution falls under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF coordinates multiple government agencies to combat criminal cartels and transnational organizations operating both domestically and internationally. The task force places special emphasis on cases involving child trafficking or other crimes against children while also working to prosecute violent criminal aliens.
