Francisco Barba, Methamphetamine Distribution, Pennsylvania 2023

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California Man Guilty of Mailing Meth to Western Pennsylvania

A former resident of Stockton, California, has pleaded guilty to mailing approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine to Western Pennsylvania. Francisco Barba, age 33, admitted to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Barba was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation. The investigation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, uncovered a significant methamphetamine trafficking network operating in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny.

Barba pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand and faces a sentence of not less than ten years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The court ordered that the defendant remain detained pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The multi-agency investigation included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States.

Francisco Barba is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. in federal court in Pittsburgh, PA.