New Castle Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Drugs and a Firearm

PITTSBURGH– Ricardo Reeves pled guilty to violating federal narcotics trafficking and firearm laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Reeves, age 44 of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing to occur on Aug. 16, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. Reeves will be sentenced for (1) possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin, as well as quantities of cocaine and cocaine base, and for (2) possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, all on Dec. 14, 2020.

Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

The Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the convictions in this case.

This case was 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 and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.