Stephen Barnes, Heroin and Crack Cocaine Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2023
A 51-year-old man from Pennsylvania has been sentenced to years in prison for his role in a large-scale heroin and crack cocaine trafficking operation in Western Pennsylvania, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Stephen Barnes, a Pittsburgh native who also previously resided in Philadelphia, was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison for heroin and crack cocaine trafficking, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Brady today.
Barnes was previously on state parole following a prior murder conviction when he engaged in the drug trafficking activities. Between March 2018 and May 2018, he distributed large quantities of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and heroin in Western Pennsylvania.
The investigation led to Barnes' arrest in May 2018, when he was caught driving 296 bricks of heroin to Western Pennsylvania, intending to distribute it in the region.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation.
As part of the sentence, Judge Nora Barry Fischer also ordered Barnes to serve four years of supervised release upon his release from prison. Barnes' drug distribution activities came to an end in May 2018, and since then, he has been held in federal custody.
Barnes' case serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat of heroin and crack cocaine trafficking in Western Pennsylvania. The U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to disrupt and dismantle these operations and bring those responsible to justice.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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