A Munhall man caught with a stolen gun, bricks of heroin, a fentanyl analogue, and $25,000 in cash has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison. Charles Payne, 26, was hit with 84 months behind bars and six years of supervised release after pleading guilty to federal firearms and narcotics charges, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose handed down the sentence for Payne’s role in a November 10, 2017 raid on a Martha Street home. Allegheny County Police, backed by Munhall officers, executed the warrant and found Payne hiding in an upstairs bedroom with his girlfriend and infant child. The first floor told a different story—one of high-volume drug operations and armed readiness.
Investigators uncovered a large garbage bag packed with bricks of heroin, empty packaging, and a Pennsylvania ID bearing Payne’s name. Nearby: two digital scales, three ammo boxes, a laser sight, and a loaded silver handgun later confirmed as stolen. Lab tests showed the seized drugs included not only heroin but methoxyacetyl fentanyl—a deadly synthetic opioid analogue.
Payne, a previously convicted state drug trafficker, is barred from owning firearms. At the time of the raid, he was on state probation for earlier convictions tied to drugs and guns. His presence at the scene, combined with the ID and cash, sealed his federal prosecution. He’s been locked up since his initial court appearance.
The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the DOJ’s flagship initiative to dismantle violent crime networks. PSN targets repeat offenders and high-risk criminals through coordinated federal, state, and local enforcement. The program emphasizes long sentences for armed traffickers to disrupt cycles of violence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Lanni handled the prosecution. The investigation was led by the Allegheny County Police Narcotics Unit. Payne now begins a prison term that reflects the federal system’s zero tolerance for felons trafficking drugs with a loaded, stolen weapon at their disposal.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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