Johnstown Dealer Blake Young Gets 7+ Years for Drug Trafficking

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Blake Young, 35, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is headed to federal prison for over seven and a half years for peddling poison in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Young was sentenced today after pleading guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a cocktail of deadly drugs: heroin, crack-cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.

United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced that Young received 92 months (7 years, 8 months) in federal court before United States Senior District Judge Kim R. Gibson. The sentence isn’t just about jail time; Young will also be subject to six years of supervised release after he finishes serving his time. The feds were listening – literally. Young was intercepted on a federal wiretap arranging drug deals and distributing the narcotics to others, according to court documents.

The investigation spanned from February 2021 to July 2021, revealing a consistent pattern of drug trafficking activity. Authorities say Young wasn’t working alone, but details of any co-conspirators haven’t been released. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon led the prosecution, building the case against Young with evidence gleaned from the wiretap and other investigative techniques.

This wasn’t a solo operation. A massive multi-agency task force brought Young down. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations spearheaded the investigation, with crucial support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, and a slew of local law enforcement agencies including the Cambria and Indiana County District Attorney’s Offices, and police departments from Johnstown, Cambria Township, Indiana Borough, Upper Yoder Township, Richland, and Ferndale.

Olshan highlighted that this prosecution is part of a larger Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF is a federal program designed to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations by pooling resources and intelligence from various law enforcement agencies. It’s a clear message: those who flood our communities with drugs will face the full force of the law.

The case underscores the ongoing struggle against the opioid crisis and the relentless efforts of law enforcement to stem the flow of dangerous narcotics into Western Pennsylvania. While one dealer is off the streets, the fight continues. Expect more federal pressure on drug networks operating in the region, as the OCDETF task force remains active.