Donora Man Convicted at Trial of Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – After deliberating for four hours, a federal jury in Pittsburgh on August 27, 2025, found Tre Robert Goins guilty of one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Goins, 31, of Donora, Pennsylvania, was tried before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.

The evidence presented during the day and a half trial established that, on May 24, 2024, Goins fled from a traffic stop initiated by the City of Duquesne Police Department, leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase at speeds in excess of 100 mph that ended with Goins totaling his vehicle. From the vehicle, police recovered fentanyl, cocaine, and a stolen loaded firearm. The jury found that Goins possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.

In July 2025, Goins pleaded guilty to two other charges relating to the same incident: possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. For these charges, the law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both, with Goins facing a total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison (to be served consecutively to the drug trafficking crime sentence), a fine of up to $250,000, or both, on his trial conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for Goins’ three violations of federal drug trafficking and firearms laws for October 22, 2025.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Katherine C. Jordan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the City of Clairton and Duquesne Police Departments, and the Elizabeth Township Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Goins.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.