Pittsburgh Man Admits Coast-to-Coast Coke Run

PITTSBURGH, PA – Richard Hayes, 32, of Pittsburgh, is staring down a lengthy federal prison sentence after admitting he attempted to receive a massive shipment of cocaine mailed from Rialto, California. The bust, conducted by U.S. Postal Inspectors, uncovered a sophisticated drug trafficking operation that stretched across state lines.

Hayes pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Terrence F. McVerry to one count of violating federal narcotics laws, as announced by United States Attorney David J. Hickton. The case began to unravel on February 23, 2011, when inspectors executed a search warrant on a suspicious package originating from Rialto. The package didn’t contain letters or trinkets; it held over 20 pounds of marijuana.

But the marijuana was just the tip of the iceberg. When Hayes attempted to claim the package, he was immediately taken into custody. A search of his wallet revealed receipts for other packages, also shipped from Rialto to Pittsburgh, arriving just one day prior. Postal Inspectors quickly moved to locate those packages.

On February 24, 2011, they found one of the additional packages and, after securing another warrant, discovered its contents: 4½ kilograms – exceeding nine pounds – of pure cocaine. Law enforcement sources estimate the wholesale value of that quantity of cocaine in Pittsburgh to be between $160,000 and $180,000. But the street value, where the drug would ultimately end up, could easily exceed a half million dollars.

Judge McVerry has scheduled sentencing for October 10, 2013. Hayes faces a grim future: a minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years behind bars, along with a potential $5,000,000 fine. The final sentence will be determined by the seriousness of the offense and Hayes’s prior criminal history, if any, according to Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Assistant United States Attorney Gregory J. Nescott is leading the prosecution. The case was built on the meticulous work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, highlighting their crucial role in intercepting illegal narcotics and dismantling criminal networks operating through the mail system. This bust serves as a stark reminder that the postal service isn’t just for bills and birthday cards – it’s a battleground in the ongoing war on drugs.