Pittsburgh Man Indicted for Distributing Drug Resulting in Death, Firearms Violations

PITTSBURGH – Deon Blair has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for distributing heroin, butyryl fentanyl, and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and death, and for committing related firearms crimes, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

The indictment charges Blair, age 24, who resided in Pittsburgh, with committing the following crimes in February 2017: (1) distributing a mixture containing butyryl fentanyl and fentanyl resulting in death; (2) conspiring to distribute and distributing heroin, butyryl fentanyl, and fentanyl; (3) possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and (4) possessing a firearm after 11 prior felony convictions for heroin and cocaine trafficking and firearms crimes in four prior prosecutions.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of at least 25 years and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $4,500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

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

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.