Skip to main content
Press Release

3 Pittsburgh Residents Charged with Drug and Gun Crimes

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, PA – John Burton, Nico Nixon, and Quintine Scales have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine trafficking and firearm crimes, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The Indictment, returned on September 24, charges Burton, age 31, Nixon, age 29, and Scales, age 35, all Pittsburgh residents, with distributing, possessing with intent to distribute, and/or conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl as well as fentanyl analogues, heroin, and crack cocaine between May 2019 and September 2019.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $7,500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal histories of the defendants.

Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the United States Marshals Service, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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

Updated September 26, 2019

Topics
Drug Trafficking
Firearms Offenses
Project Safe Neighborhoods