A New Castle, Pennsylvania resident was sentenced on Mar. 19 to 80 months in federal prison, followed by six years of supervised release, after being convicted of drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession, according to United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address the distribution of dangerous drugs and the illegal possession of firearms by individuals with prior felony convictions.
Jauan Searcy, age 44, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine between August 2023 and August 2024. He also admitted to possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony. United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence. According to information presented in court, Searcy was involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy based in Detroit and New Castle, retailing controlled substances locally. When arrested at his residence on August 1, 2024 following his indictment, agents found a shotgun next to his bed. Federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted the case for the government. Rivetti commended multiple agencies for their roles in the investigation leading up to Searcy's prosecution: "the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Michigan State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Mercer County Drug Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security, and Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office."
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159. The initiative is described as "a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad." The task force places special emphasis on crimes involving children and uses all available tools to prosecute violent offenders.
