Johnstown Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to five years’ (60 months’) imprisonment and four years supervised release on his conviction of conspiracy for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Leroy George, 51.  

According to information presented to the court, the charges resulted from a 12-month investigation by the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force (GPSSTF), which targeted a large scale Drug Trafficking Organization operating in Butler, Beaver and Allegheny Counties. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that the defendant was distributing fentanyl in the Pittsburgh area. Intercepted communications over a federal wiretap ultimately led to the seizure of $12,200 in drug proceeds from the defendant, $10,000 of which were seized during a traffic stop after communications indicated that the defendant intended to meet with a coconspirator in the parking lot of a Chili’s in Ross Township. The court was further informed that as a condition of his guilty plea, George accepted responsibility for the distribution of between 40 and 160 grams of fentanyl.

Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The FBI’s Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force (GPSSTF) led the mulit-agency investigation that led to the successful prosecution of George. The GPSSTF is comprised of dedicated law enforcement professionals from the Wilkinsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the FBI. Additionally, the GPSSTF and the United Sates Attorney’s Office for theWestern District of Pennsylvania, would like to recognize the significant contributions made to this investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police, United Sates Postal Inspection Service, Cranberry Township Police Department and the New Brighton Police Department.