Wilson, Cobbs, and Rodriguez Hernandez Indicted in Major Cocaine Ring

PITTSBURGH – Federal agents have pulled the curtain back on a massive cocaine trafficking operation, charging William E. Wilson Jr., Leland Ty Cobbs, and Faustino Rodriguez Hernandez with conspiracy to distribute and possess illegal drugs.

The trio, according to the United States Attorney David J. Hickton, conspired in April 2013 to traffic five kilograms of cocaine. The indictment names each defendant and lays out their roles in the drug ring, which also involved other individuals.

Wilson Jr., 42, from Penn Hills, and Cobbs, 42, of Pittsburgh, are accused of distributing and possessing the substance with intent to sell. Rodriguez Hernandez, also known as David Chavez Carbajal, 36, is a Texas resident who was part of the operation.

The indictment doesn’t stop there. Wilson Jr., a convicted felon, faces additional charges for unlawfully possessing firearms, a Glock .40 caliber pistol and a Springfield XDm .45 caliber pistol. Federal law strictly prohibits felons from owning firearms, making his possession a federal offense.

These charges carry a stiff penalty: the defendants could face up to life in prison, fines totaling $10 million, or both, depending on the severity of the offenses and any prior criminal history.

Katherine A. King is the Assistant United States Attorney handling this high-stakes case against the accused. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), DANET, and local law enforcement agencies are credited with conducting the investigation that led to the charges.