Turtle Creek Woman Pleads Guilty In Attempt to Bring Heroin from Mechanicsburg to Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Turtle Creek, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of attempted distribution of heroin, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Shyann Johnson, 27, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Shyann Johnson was indicted in connection with a DEA wiretap investigation. The intercepted wiretap communications revealed that in June 2016, Johnson traveled to Mechanicsburg, PA to meet with a heroin supplier to attempt to bring nearly 400 bricks of heroin back to Pittsburgh for distribution of the heroin by members of the conspiracy.

Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s bond.

Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). 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. United States Attorney Brady commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Johnson.