Clairton, PA Man Indicted on Federal Drug and Gun Charges

PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Clairton, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

The four-count Indictment named Darryl Craig, 41, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on July 14, 2021, Craig possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of crack cocaine, possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, possessed a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking offense, and possessed with intent to distribute a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a public elementary school. Craig was previously charged by criminal complaint on July 15, 2021.

According to the complaint and supporting affidavit, investigators obtained a search warrant for Craig’s residence. When they were executing the search warrant, they encountered Craig leaving the residence from a basement stairwell. They took Craig into custody for an active bench warrant from the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. In the course of their search, investigators found two semi-automatic handguns, several live rounds of ammunition for various different calibers, magazines, boxes for both a weapon mounted light and optic, body armor, approximately thirteen ounces of mixtures and substances that field-tested positive for cocaine some of which was suspected to be powder cocaine and some of which was suspected to be cocaine base in the form commonly known as crack, approximately 12 ounces of suspected marijuana, approximately six grams of suspected ecstasy pills, several pieces of indicia addressed to Darryl Craig at this residence, $58,351 in US currency, eight cellular telephones, keys to a Mercedes Benz belonging to Darryl Craig, and copious amounts of drug paraphernalia associated with processing, manufacturing, and packaging of both cocaine and crack cocaine for sale. Craig has prior felony convictions in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas for carrying a firearm without a license and for the manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance.

For the drug charge, the law provides for a sentence between five and 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000 or both. For possessing the firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense, the law provides for an additional sentence of at least five years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence. 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. Craig has been detained at the Allegheny County Jail since his arrest on July 14, 2021.

Assistant United States Attorney Ira M. Karoll is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case and has been assisted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Clairton Police Department, and the Elizabeth Township Police Department in conducting the investigation.

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