Justin Clark, 34, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, has admitted his role in a deadly fentanyl trafficking ring that flooded parts of Western PA with lethal doses of the synthetic opioid. Clark pleaded guilty on March 6 in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, between September 2016 and July 2017.
The plea, entered before U.S. District Judge Mark R. Hornak, confirms Clark conspired with a network of dealers tied to a larger drug trafficking organization operating across Butler, Beaver, and Allegheny Counties. Federal prosecutors say the operation moved kilogram-level quantities of narcotics, with fentanyl at the core—fueling overdoses and destabilizing communities for nearly a year.
Clark is no stranger to the justice system. He has a prior felony drug-trafficking conviction, which triggers enhanced penalties under federal law. That prior record means he now faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison and up to a life sentence. He also risks a fine of $8,000,000 or both.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 18, 2018, at 11 a.m. While the statutory penalties are severe, the actual sentence will be determined under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, weighing the seriousness of the offense and Clark’s criminal history. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin A. Loughran is prosecuting the case.
The conviction is the latest blow in a long-term takedown by the FBI’s Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force (GPSSTF). The multi-agency unit has spent years dismantling a sprawling drug network responsible for distributing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine across Western Pennsylvania. The investigation involved wiretaps, undercover operations, and coordinated raids.
Law enforcement partners in the GPSSTF include the Wilkinsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also credited critical support from the Pennsylvania State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Cranberry Township Police, and New Brighton Police Department.
Related Federal Cases
- Damian McKay Gets 7 Years for Fentanyl-Heroin Conspiracy · Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh Man Indicted in Major Fentanyl Conspiracy · Pennsylvania
- Erie Man Gets 10 Years for Fentanyl, Cocaine Conspiracy · Pennsylvania
- PA Fentanyl Ring Crushed: 57 Face Decades · Pennsylvania
- Fentanyl, Gun Tossed From DC Window: Dealer Faces Decades · Maryland
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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