PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A New Castle man is facing serious time after admitting to peddling poison in Western Pennsylvania. Dontae Blackshear, 25, pleaded guilty today to federal charges stemming from a large-scale drug trafficking operation, according to United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan.
Blackshear copped to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine between May 2021 and October 2022. The feds say he was a key player in a crew flooding Mercer and Lawrence counties with the deadly duo. He admitted responsibility for distributing a substantial amount: 20 grams of fentanyl and 100 grams of cocaine. This wasn’t his first rodeo with the law, either.
Records show Blackshear already had a felony drug conviction from 2021 – for trafficking fentanyl *and* heroin. He served one to two years for that, and was still on parole when he decided to get back in the game. Apparently, a brief stint behind bars didn’t deter him from risking decades more.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab set sentencing for October 16, 2024. Blackshear is looking at a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison, plus a hefty $2 million fine. While the guidelines will factor in his criminal history, the sheer volume of the drugs involved suggests a lengthy sentence is likely.
The investigation was a multi-agency effort, bringing together the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is handling the prosecution.
Blackshear remains locked up pending his sentencing. This case serves as a stark reminder that those who profit from the misery caused by fentanyl and cocaine will be aggressively pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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