Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy

PITTSBURGH, PA- A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 57 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Brian Horvath, 48.

According to information presented to the court, from in and around September 2016, and continuing thereafter to November 30, 2017, Horvath conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms but less than 15 kilograms of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The court was further informed that during the period of the conspiracy, Horvath frequently received cocaine from two of his co-defendants in quantities ranging from, at the beginning of the conspiracy, one-half ounce to, towards the end of the conspiracy, 18 ounces, which he then redistributed to various individuals in Allegheny and Westmoreland County.

Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Jerome A. Moschetta prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Horvath. The task force was headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is comprised of members drawn from the Borough of Baldwin Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The Stowe Township Police Department also provided assistance in this investigation. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.