27 Southwestern Pennsylvania Residents Indicted for Trafficking Controlled Substances

PITTSBURGH, PA – Twenty-seven southwestern Pennsylvania residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of narcotics trafficking and other controlled substances offenses, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today. The indictments were returned on Tuesday, August 22, and unsealed today.

These 27 defendants are charged in two separate, but related, indictments, one of which (“the Skyler Carter Indictment”) contains four counts and names:

• Skyler Carter, 36, of Clairton, PA;
• Dawndre Bivins, 30, of North Versailles, PA;
• Jojuan Bray, 21, of Clairton, PA;
• Courtney Carter, 39, of Clairton, PA;
• Jalea Carter, 25, of Clairton, PA;
• Bernard Dawkins, 60, of Clairton, PA;
• Jammie Fridley, 48, of West Mifflin, PA;
• Malcolm Howard, 25, of Clairton, PA;
• Jean Hull, 52, of Clairton, PA;
• Kevin Jackson, 34, of Clairton, PA;
• Samuel Lopresti, 55, of Clairton, PA;
• Cameron Ranson, 42, of Clairton, PA;
• Eugene Reddick, 35, of Dunlevy, PA;
• Paul Sedor, 36, of Elizabeth, PA;
• Katie Spratt, 31, of Pittsburgh, PA;
• Erika Turner, 30, of Clairton, PA;
• Terrence Wade, 47, of Clairton, PA.

The second indictment (“the Corey Jackson Indictment”) contains three counts and names:

• Corey Jackson, 31, of Clairton, PA;
• Alex Brown, 39, of Clairton, PA;
• John H. Jenkins, Jr., 48, of Finleyville, PA;
• Quintin Napper, 30, of Clairton, PA;
• Tywan Napper, 33, of Clairton, PA;
• Colleen Paff, 47, of Finleyville, PA;
• William Paff, 52, of Finleyville, PA;
• Herbert Ranson, 30, of Clairton, PA;
• David Stevenson, Jr., 32, of Clairton, PA;
• Samuel Terrant, 49, of Finleyville, PA.

According to the indictments presented to the court, the above-named defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute heroin and various other controlled substances. The Skyler Carter Indictment alleges that he and the other defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine between March and August of 2017. The Corey Jackson Indictment alleges that he and the other defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine between January and August of 2017. The quantity of crack cocaine attributed to Skyler Carter, Corey Jackson, and David Stevenson, Jr. is 28 grams or more. In addition, in the Skyler Carter Indictment, Courtney and Jalea Carter are each charged with using or maintaining a drug involved premises between March and June 2017. In the Corey Jackson Indictment, Alex Brown, Jr. is charged with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of butyryl fentanyl (a fentanyl analog that is temporarily controlled under Schedule I) and fentanyl (a Schedule II controlled substance) on February 23, 2017. Tywan Napper is charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin on February 28, 2017.

For Skyler Carter, Corey Jackson, and David Stevenson, Jr., the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of $5 million, or both. For the remaining defendants in both indictments, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, 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.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). 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. Assistant United States Attorney Conor Lamb is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

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