Previously Convicted Felon from Donora Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Donora, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on July 9, 2025, to fentanyl and cocaine trafficking and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Tre Robert Goins, 31, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti to possession with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Goins will proceed to trial in August 2025 on an additional federal charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 24, 2024, Goins fled from a traffic stop initiated by the City of Duquesne Police Department. Goins led law enforcement on a high-speed chase and crashed his vehicle, at which time, police recovered fentanyl, cocaine, and a loaded firearm, which had been reported stolen, from Goins’ car. Goins has multiple prior felony convictions for firearms. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for October 22, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Katherine C. Jordan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
Pending sentencing, Goins will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, City of Clairton and Duquesne police departments, and Elizabeth Township Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Goins.

This case is 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 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.