Score:   1
Docket Number:   WD-PA  2:19-cr-00135
Case Name:   USA v. COX et al
  Press Releases:
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of New Castle, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Wesley Cox, also known as Michael Deshawn Carter, age 38, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from 2017 through May 2019, Cox participated in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack.

Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2020 at 9:30AM. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years in prison and up to life, a fine of $10,500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Marnie Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cox. The task force is headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is comprised of members drawn from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Borough of Baldwin Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police.

The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises. The Lawrence County Drug Task Force and the New Castle Police Department also participated in the investigation.

PITTSBURGH – Seventeen people in four states have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics, money laundering and postal laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today. The three separate, but related, indictments were returned on May 8, 2019 and unsealed this week.

"This is one of the largest cocaine distribution rings in western Pennsylvania," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "Together with our state and local law enforcement partners, we conducted an extensive investigation of this multi-state drug distribution network. My office will continue the fight to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and hold those who pollute our communities with drugs accountable."

"This drug distribution organization threatened the safety of the people of western Pennsylvania and beyond by peddling illegal drugs in their communities," said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. "I’m grateful for the strong collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement to break up this criminal network. We will continue working together to get these poisons off our streets and hold those who push them into our neighborhoods accountable."

"This was an investigation that started at the local level and we quickly realized we needed the help of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration," said Lawrence County District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa. "Through the cooperation of local, state and federal agencies, we were able to make a substantial impact on drug trafficking in Lawrence County."

According to U.S. Attorney Brady, the indictments follow an 18-month investigation of a multi-state drug distribution network led by Hector Forbes, in which cocaine was sold throughout the country, including in New Castle and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The group used the mail to transport the cocaine and to send cash back to Hector Forbes and Marcia Cunningham.

An eight-count indictment returned on May 8, names:

• Timothy Bonner, 38, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;

• Garfield Campbell, aka "Sean Grant," 44, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;

• Garfield Campbell, Jr., aka "Theo Campbell," 22, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;

• Marcia Cunningham, aka "Elaine Ambersley," "Marcia Headley," 51, of Plantation, Florida;

• Hector Forbes, aka "Michael Ambersley," "Troy Williams," "Desmond Roreric," "Hextor Obian," "Hector Obytan," "Haneen Arrie," "Warren Blake," "Sperm," "Henry," 45, of Pomona, California;

• Robert Forbes, aka "Daniel Kirkpatrick," "Joe," 44, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and

• Anthony Portis, Jr., 36, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as defendants.

Cunningham and Hector Forbes were arrested in Florida on May 10, 2019. The remaining defendants were arrested in Lawrence and Allegheny counties on Monday, May 13, 2019. Garfield Campbell and Garfield Campbell, Jr. are father and son. Hector Forbes and Robert Forbes are brothers.

According to Count 1 of the Indictment, from in and around April 2017, and continuing thereafter to in and around April 2019, Hector Forbes participated in a continuing criminal enterprise involved in cocaine trafficking. That statute is often referred to as the Drug Kingpin Statute, and calls for a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years of incarceration upon conviction.

At Count 2, the Indictment charges all defendants with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance from in and April 2017, and continuing thereafter to in and around April 2019, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere. That statute calls for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of incarceration upon conviction.

Garfield Campbell is charged at Count 3 with attempting to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in and around June 2017. That statute calls for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of incarceration upon conviction.

Timothy Bonner is charged at Counts 4 and 5 with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and less than 50 kilograms of marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance, on or about February 11, 2019.

Garfield Campbell, Marcia Cunningham, Hector Forbes and Robert Forbes are charged at Count 6 with conspiring to commit money laundering, from in and April 2017, and continuing thereafter to in and around April 2019; and at Count Seven with interstate travel in aid of racketeering.

Marcia Cunningham and Hector Forbes are charged at Count 8 with using false names and addresses to conduct an unlawful business by means of the postal service, from in and April 2017, and continuing thereafter to in and around April 2019.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison for all of these defendants.

A second indictment, returned on May 8, and containing 24 counts, names:

• Fawn Cox, 40, of New Castle, Pennsylvania;

• Wesley Cox aka "Michael Deshawn Carter," 37, of New Castle, Pennsylvania;

• Michael Cox, 48, of 811 High Street, of New Castle, Pennsylvania;

• Ronny Daniels, Jr. aka "Moocher," 36, of New Castle, Pennsylvania;

• Sergio Murillo, 45, of Detroit, Michigan;

• Eva Scialabba, 32, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania;

• Dondi Searcy, Jr. aka "Little Dondi," 34, of New Castle, Pennsylvania;

• Quantel Searcy, 45, of New Castle, Pennsylvania; and

• Christopher Shaner, 24, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, as defendants.

All of the defendants  were arrested on Monday, May 13, 2019, except for Wesley Cox and Sergio Murillo who were already in custody.  Fawn, Wesley and Michael Cox are siblings. Dondi Searcy, Jr. and Quantel Searcy are cousins.

According to the Indictment, from in and around 2017, and continuing thereafter to in and around May 2019, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, defendants Fawn Cox, Wesley Cox, Ronny Daniels, Jr., Sergio Murillo, Eva Scialabba, Dondi Searcy, Jr., Quantel Searcy and Christopher Shaner conspired with each other and others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack, each a Schedule II controlled substance. That statute carries with it a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of incarceration.

Counts 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 24 of the Indictment charge Fawn Cox, Wesley Cox, Ronny Daniels, Jr., Dondi Searcy, Jr. and Quantel Searcy with distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, on various dates from February 2017 to April 2019.

Wesley Cox is further charged at Counts 3 and 9 with distributing and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl, each a Schedule II controlled substance, on or about December 8, 2017 and February 28, 2018, respectively.

Count 13 charges Wesley Cox and Michael Cox with conspiring to commit money laundering from in and around 2017, and continuing thereafter to in and around May 2019.

Counts 14, 15 and 16 charge Ronny Daniels, Jr. with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine, on or about January 10, 2018, January 31, 2018, May 1, 2018, respectively.

Count 21 charges Sergio Murillo and Dondi Searcy, Jr. with attempting to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine, on or about September 18, 2018.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison for all of the defendants except for Michael Cox, who faces a maximum total sentence of twenty years of incarceration.

Finally, a third indictment returned on May 8, and containing two counts names:

• Rondell Palmer, 47, of Pontiac, Michigan, as the sole defendant.  Palmer was already in custody.

According to the Indictment, from in and around August 2018, and continuing thereafter to in and around September 2018, Palmer conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Additionally, on or about September 17, 2018, Palmer attempted to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of 40 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000 or both.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant(s).

Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Marnie Sheehan-Balchon are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. The task force is headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is comprised of members drawn from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Borough of Baldwin Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police.

In this case, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Special Investigations Unit, the New Castle Police Department and the Union Township Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation.

The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

PITTSBURGH - One Michigan resident and one New Jersey resident have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The one-count indictment named Michael Cox, 42, of Beverly Hills, Michigan, and Michael Stashchyshyn, 55, of Cedar Knolls, New Jersey, as defendants.

According to the indictment, Cox and Stashchyshyn conspired with others to export night sighting equipment, firearms and ammunition to Ukraine without the requisite license issued by the State Department. The items were purchased in the United States by Cox and others, and shipped to Stashchyshyn who owns a freight forwarder business in Parsippany, New Jersey. Stashchyshyn then shipped the items to an individual in Ukraine in violation of U.S. law and regulations. The items shipped are contained on the Federal Munitions List and are controlled by the International Traffic in Arms (ITAR) regulations. They are illegal to ship without a license from the State Department, which the defendants and their co-conspirators did not have.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Charles A. Eberle and Shardul Desai are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Docket (0 Docs):   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-Y4bpE5AKZ222blyXbPsD20pw002LRoF2iFVCnopj1M
  Last Updated: 2024-02-25 19:09:39 UTC
Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the second highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE2
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE2
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
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