Johnstown Man Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Laron Harvey, 35, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge Joy Flowers Conti.

According to information presented to the court, from in and around November 2015, and continuing thereafter to in and around May 2016, Harvey and others conspired with one another to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine.

Chief Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2019 at 3:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. 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.

Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Grace. The task force is headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is comprised of members drawn from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Ambridge Police Department, New Brighton Police Department, Beaver Police Department, Aliquippa Police Department, Moon Township Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, Duquesne Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. 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.