A Pittsburgh man has been brought to justice for his role in a cocaine conspiracy case, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
James Stewart, 44, a resident of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine in federal court on April 16, 2024, before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville.
As part of the guilty plea, it was revealed that Stewart was identified as a customer of Anthony Peluso, a heroin and cocaine trafficker who supplied narcotics to lower-level drug traffickers. The investigation, conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, found that Stewart met with Peluso or his associates on multiple occasions to obtain cocaine, which he then redistributed to others.
The case was the result of a long-term investigation into drug-trafficking and illegal firearms activity in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The investigation was a joint effort between multiple agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations.
The prosecution of Stewart is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States.
Stewart faces a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, 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. Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for August 15, 2024.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Jonathan D. Lusty are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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