Recidivist Westmoreland County Drug Trafficker Indicted on Four Counts of Narcotics and Firearms Violations

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

The four-count Indictment named Duran Foster, 29, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on October 26, 2023, Foster possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and cocaine base, as well as a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The Indictment alleges that Foster has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple prior felony drug-trafficking convictions and a prior felony conviction for illegal possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, 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 the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

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.

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