Pittsburgh Man Indicted on Federal Drug and Gun Charges

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The three–count Indictment, returned on Dec. 12, names Eric Williams, 27, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, Williams was charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 28 grams of cocaine base, a Schedule II controlled substance, as well as quantities of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, and fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Furthermore, Williams was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of said drug trafficking crimes.

The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years, but up to life in prison, a $6,250,000 fine, 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 of each defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Vasquez Schmitt and Yvonne Saadi are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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