Clairton Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Cocaine and Fentanyl

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Clairton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to distribute narcotics, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Derek Price, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring with 20 other individuals, between March and June 2017, to distribute narcotics. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Price purchased fentanyl and cocaine from his codefendants, Elliot Page and Skylar Carter, for further distribution in the Clairton area. Price acknowledged distributing approximately 15 grams of fentanyl and 300 grams of cocaine. He is the fifteenth of 21 defendants charged to enter a plea of guilty.

Judge Arthur J. Schwab scheduled sentencing for September 5, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. Price has a prior felony drug conviction, and as such, he is subject to enhanced penalties. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of not more than $2 million, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will depend upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Price remains on bond pending the sentencing hearing.

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 Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.