PITTSBURGH, PA – Walter John Amman, III, 68, a retired member of the Pittsburgh Fire Department, will spend nearly three years in federal prison after being sentenced Friday for trafficking cocaine. Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak handed down a 34-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release, bringing an end to a case that exposed a decades-long drug operation.
According to court documents, Amman wasn’t a lone operator. His co-defendant, 77-year-old Richard Wright, had been sourcing kilogram quantities of cocaine for over twenty years. Wright allegedly processed the drug, breaking it down into smaller, saleable amounts and converting some into crack cocaine. In recent years, Amman stepped in to assist, becoming a key player in the packaging and distribution network. The feds caught wind, and two controlled purchases were made directly from Amman, setting the stage for a coordinated raid.
On January 11, 2017, law enforcement – a joint task force comprised of DEA, HSI, IRS-CI, and Pittsburgh Police – executed search warrants at locations connected to both Amman and Wright. The results were damning. At Wright’s residence, investigators found pre-packaged cocaine color-coded by size, a disturbing arsenal of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, and piles of cash. Multiple vehicles registered to Amman and his family were also seized. The garage yielded even more: large amounts of powder cocaine, materials used to manufacture crack, more cash, and three pistols, one of which was registered to Amman. A safe, embedded in the concrete floor, hinted at even deeper involvement.
The search of Amman’s residence didn’t offer much in the way of denial. Investigators discovered firearms, pre-packaged crack and cocaine stuffed inside a jacket bearing Amman’s name, keys to a truck, approximately $1,000, and additional cocaine hidden within the vehicle itself. At his plea hearing, Amman admitted responsibility for between 700 grams and one kilogram of cocaine, as well as 5.767 grams of crack found on his property. It was a substantial operation, and Amman was squarely in the middle of it.
Judge Hornak acknowledged Amman’s efforts at rehabilitation while incarcerated – earning his High School Diploma – and the lack of misconduct during his time in jail. However, the judge also emphasized the “very serious” nature of the drug charges and Amman’s prior conviction in Florida in 2006 for similar offenses, again involving Wright. While Wright pleaded guilty, he died before sentencing, leaving Amman to face the consequences alone. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt.
The investigation, which led to Amman’s conviction, was a collaborative effort between the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, with valuable assistance from the Pennsylvania Game Commission. This case serves as a grim reminder that criminal activity doesn’t discriminate, and even those who once served the public can fall prey to the lure of easy money – and the harsh realities of federal justice.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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