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Meth Kingpin Sentenced to 10 Years Behind Bars
Pittsburgh – In a major blow to the city’s underworld, Joshua Shaffer, 36, of Hiawatha, Iowa, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for leading a massive interstate methamphetamine and oxycodone ring.
According to evidence presented in court, Shaffer was the source-of-supply for the conspiracy, sending kilograms of methamphetamine and 10,000 narcotic pills to Pennsylvania from his Florida home. The pills were then sold to drug addicts for $35 or $40 apiece, while the methamphetamine was packaged for individual use and sold for $5,600 an ounce.
Shaffer’s co-conspirators, Joe Cesa, 26, of Kersey, Pa., and Keith Alfred Hayes, 48, of Sykesville, Pa., also faced sentencing. Judge Davis S. Cercone imposed a two-year period of incarceration on Cesa and accepted a guilty plea from Hayes, who was scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2014, at 10:00 am. Hayes faces a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine not to exceed $1,000,000.
The investigation that led to the prosecution of Shaffer, Cesa, and Hayes was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.
Shaffer’s sentencing marks a significant victory for law enforcement in the Western District of Pennsylvania, where oxycodone addiction is a major concern. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory J. Nescott prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
With all nine defendants charged in the indictment having pleaded guilty, the convictions bring an end to a complex and far-reaching conspiracy that brought harm to countless individuals and families in the region.
The Grimy Times will continue to monitor the case and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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