Erie Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Distributing Crack, Illegal Gun Possession

ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal drug and firearm laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Ravone Robert Deberry, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the FBI’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Safe Streets task force conducted an investigation into the drug dealing and violent crime activity of members of a local gang identifying itself as "1800". The court was advised that court authorized intercepts of telephone communications between members of the group and others revealed Deberry selling crack cocaine in the Erie area. Deberry pleaded guilty to conspiring with his co-defendants to possess with intent to distribute and distribute the crack cocaine. In a separate case, Deberry possessed a Smith & Wesson, model SW9F, 9mm handgun while being a convicted felon. According to information provided in court, Deberry used that handgun to shoot at rival gang members and the shooting incident was captured in the authorized intercepts of Deberry’s communications.

Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for November 4, 2019 at 12:45 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 40 years years in prison, a fine of $5,250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses 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 EAGLE task force, which is comprised of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Deberry.