Federal Jury Says Pittsburgh Man Possessed Cocaine
PITTSBURGH - After deliberating for 20 minutes on Wednesday, a federal jury found Joseph Dees a/k/a Joseph Lee guilty of one count of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Dees, 53, of Pittsburgh, Pa. was tried before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that on or about April 25, 2011, Dees possessed less than 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute it.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for March 8, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Joseph Dees.
