Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine Conspiracy

A Pittsburgh man has pleaded guilty to a federal crime that’s landed him in a world of trouble. Balon Kenney, age 25, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

According to court documents, Kenney’s guilty plea stems from an investigation into the GBK street gang and drug trafficking in the Greenway Projects area of Pittsburgh’s West End. The investigation, which began in 2017, revealed that Kenney and others conspired to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine from November 2017 to June 2018.

The case was investigated by the FBI and DEA, with assistance from local law enforcement agencies including the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, and Pennsylvania State Police.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Kenney faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison, along with a fine of $10,000,000 or both. His sentencing is set for May 28, 2019, at 10 a.m.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Rachael Dizard. The investigation was funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF).

Kenney is currently being held in custody pending sentencing. The OCDETF program provides critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to identify, investigate, and prosecute major drug trafficking organizations.

With this guilty plea, Kenney’s future looks uncertain, but one thing is clear: he’s facing a lengthy prison sentence for his role in the conspiracy.