Jarrell Dawson, Fentanyl Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2023

PITTSBURGH – In a major blow to Pittsburgh’s underworld, 32-year-old Jarrell Dawson has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a large-scale fentanyl and heroin trafficking operation.

Dawson, a former Pittsburgh resident, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, and a quantity of cocaine, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

According to court documents, Dawson was proven to be a fentanyl and heroin supplier to Christopher Highsmith and other coconspirators. The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, uncovered a complex web of drug trafficking activity in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh.

As part of the investigation, agents made numerous seizures of fentanyl, heroin, and other drugs from members of the organization, as well as maintained critical physical surveillance of Dawson’s drug-trafficking activities. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn J. Bloch and Brendan J. McKenna.

The sentencing was handed down by United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV, who also ordered Dawson to serve 8 years of supervised release after his prison term.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, which aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle high-level drug traffickers and their organizations.

The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat the opioid epidemic and bring perpetrators to justice.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant: Jarrell Dawson

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, and a quantity of cocaine

City and State: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Date: February 2019 (investigation began), June 2019 (wire investigation ended), and February 2023 (sentencing)

Sentence: 10 years in prison, 8 years of supervised release

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