PITTSBURGH – In a major blow to the city’s narcotics trade, a federal judge has sentenced a former Pittsburgh-area resident to 12 years in prison for his role in a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation. Randee Gilliam, 50, of Tucker, Georgia, was sentenced to 144 months (12 years) imprisonment followed by five years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws.
The investigation, which began in the fall of 2011 and concluded in mid-March 2012, involved Title III wiretaps on cell phones utilized by Lamont Wright, John Saban, and Dorian Gilliam. According to court documents, Gilliam obtained multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from a source of supply in Tucson, Arizona, on a regular basis.
Gilliam then supplied those kilograms of cocaine to John Saban, a resident of Pittsburgh, on a weekly basis. The cocaine was transported from Tucson, Arizona, to Las Vegas, Nevada, where it was divided up into numerous parcels, hidden inside computer monitors or leather binders, and shipped via UPS or FedEX to several different shipping facilities in the Pittsburgh area.
The parcels were then picked up in Pittsburgh by Saban and his associates. Saban would then supply nearly all of that cocaine to Lamont Wright, the primary distributor for the organization. Wright, in turn, supplied quantities of this cocaine to countless individuals to include Eric Campbell, Genaro Coleman, and Frederick Ellis.
The drug proceeds collected by Saban from Wright were concealed in protein powder containers and provided to Dorian Gilliam or, on numerous occasions, to Myrene Gilliam. The Gilliams would then hide the containers in their luggage and fly via commercial airline to Randee Gilliam in Las Vegas to deliver the money.
On March 10, 2012, in the midst of the investigation, federal agents, with the assistance of the Monroeville Police, seized $150,000 in drug trafficking proceeds from Randee Gilliam. The cash was seized shortly after it had been provided to Mr. Gilliam by John Saban as payment for multiple kilograms of cocaine that had been supplied to Saban in the days prior.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles A. Eberle prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Randee Gilliam and his co-conspirators.
The investigation also involved the United States Marshals Service, the Penn Hills Police, the Monroeville Police, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the McKees Rocks Police.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of narcotics trafficking on our communities. We will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle these organizations, bringing those responsible to justice and keeping our neighborhoods safe.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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