Edinboro Woman Allowed Her House to be Used for Drug Trafficking

ERIE, Pa. – A resident of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of making her home available for drug activities, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Christian Urrutia Rojas, 30, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from June 2013 through February 2015, Rojas engaged in a conspiracy with eighteen co-defendants to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, ounces of high purity methamphetamine, and ounces of heroin. Rojas facilitated the conspiracy by having her home in Edinboro used as the drop off point for drugs and money.

Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for May 16, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Organized Crime Section, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Rojas.