McKeesport Man Illegally Possessed Heroin and a Pistol

PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Isaiah Pridgen, age 20, pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Pridgen possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance. Further, on that same date, Pridgen possessed a Taurus Millennium, .45 caliber pistol, in furtherance of said drug trafficking crime.

Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for November 2, 2018, at 11 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 5 years and up to life in prison, a fine not to exceed $1,250,000, 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 Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the McKeesport Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Pridgen.

This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime, including violent crime caused by drug trafficking, and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.