Texas Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Conspiring To Distribute Cocaine

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Houston, Texas, has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years in prison followed by six years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Alan N. Bloh imposed the sentence on Gathon Dudley Shannon a/k/a Gathow Dudly Channon, 46.

According to information presented to the court, from on or about Dec. 4, 2009 and continuing thereafter to on or about Sept. 29, 2011, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, Shannon conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine A. King and Troy Rivetti prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of members drawn from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, the Pennsylvania State Attorney General's Office and the Beaver Falls Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shannon.