Jermaine Kyle Clark, Cocaine Trafficking, PA 2019

Twenty-three kilograms of cocaine, vacuum-sealed in 23 clear packages and hidden in vehicle compartments, have landed two Philadelphia men in federal crosshairs. Jermaine Kyle Clark, 41, and Terry Suggs, Jr., 34, were indicted by a Pittsburgh federal grand jury on May 8, 2019, on charges tied to a high-volume drug shipment from Philadelphia to Allegheny County.

The three-count indictment accuses Clark and Suggs of conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute at least 5 kilograms of cocaine and 500 grams of methamphetamine between February 24 and February 25, 2019. The charges stem from a sting led by the Allegheny County District Attorney Narcotics Enforcement Team (D.A.N.E.T), which executed a controlled purchase and delivery operation targeting a trafficking pipeline from Philadelphia.

On February 25, 2019, investigators intercepted the defendants during the operation. Inside the vehicles they were driving, law enforcement discovered the concealed packages containing what is believed to be approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine. In Suggs’ vehicle alone, agents seized $8,060.00 in cash—cash now considered potential drug proceeds.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation took over the investigation after the initial arrest, building the case that culminated in the federal indictment. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting the case, underscoring the federal government’s continued push against interstate narcotics networks.

If convicted, Clark and Suggs each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, along with fines as high as $10,000,000. The actual sentences, under federal guidelines, will depend on the severity of the offense and any prior criminal history.

An indictment is not a conviction. Jermaine Kyle Clark and Terry Suggs, Jr. are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case continues to unfold within the Western District of Pennsylvania’s federal jurisdiction.