Tag: 2015
Philadelphia Felon Bell Faces Illegal Ammunition Charges
Facing a federal hammer, Philadelphia’s Elanda Bell, 55, stands accused of illegally possessing ammunition. The grim details emerged as the United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced the charges. According to the grim indictment filed on July 30, Bell is charged with unlawful possession of ten .41 Caliber cartridges between Jan. 3, 2008, and June…
Carnegie Man Wimbley Faces Cocaine Rap
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A Carnegie man is facing serious federal charges after being indicted by a grand jury in Johnstown on allegations of possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. The case, announced today by United States Attorney David J. Hickton, paints a picture of a local resident allegedly involved in the drug trade. Brian J.…
Spickle Pleads Guilty
A shocking case of methamphetamine distribution has come to a head as 79-year-old Dominick Spickle of Sacramento, Calif. pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws. According to United States Attorney David J. Hickton, Spickle pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti. The guilty plea is connected…
Dees Faces Years for Identity Theft Ring
PITTSBURGH, PA – A North Side man is staring down a potential prison sentence after admitting his role in a widespread identity theft and credit card fraud scheme stretching across Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Joseph Dees, also known as Joseph Lee and Jay Dees, 52, of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges…
Honduran Re-Entry: Colindres-Ortiz Gets Time-Served
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Justice, of a sort, was served today in the case of Alex Omar Colindres-Ortiz, 33, a Honduran national caught flouting U.S. immigration law. Colindres-Ortiz was sentenced to time-served in federal court after pleading to the charge of re-entry into the United States following his deportation. U.S. District Judge R. Mark Hornak handed…
Oxycodone Scheme Lands Eighty Four Man in Guilty Plea
PITTSBURGH, PA – Another cog in the opioid pipeline has cracked. Andrew Brown, 23, of Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court today to a charge stemming from a wide-ranging oxycodone trafficking scheme, according to United States Attorney David J. Hickton. The guilty plea is a small victory in a war against relentless drug…
Elk County Drug Ring Leader Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — James A. Volpe, 55, from Brockport, Pa., has entered a guilty plea in federal court for violating several federal laws related to narcotics and firearms, according to United States Attorney David J. Hickton. Volpe’s crimes include distributing an imprint die intended to produce counterfeit Viagra tablets, possession of over 50 marijuana plants…
DeBlasio’s Owner Sentenced for Tax Evasion
PITTSBURGH – The grim halls of federal court have once again witnessed the heavy hand of justice, as Donald J. DeBlasio, 69, owner of the notorious Presto, PA, eatery DeBlasio’s, was sentenced to five years of probation, including 24 months of home detention, and a $10,000 fine plus 500 hours of community service for his…
NETL Director Cugini Indicted: Obstructing Justice
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former high-ranking official at the Department of Energy is facing serious federal charges after allegedly attempting to bury evidence of wrongdoing. Anthony V. Cugini, 54, of Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on one count of obstruction of justice, United States Attorney David J.…
Shuster Swindled $729K in Student Loan Fraud
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Meredith Shuster, 36, of Cranberry Township, is facing a substantial prison sentence after admitting to a brazen student loan fraud that bilked private lenders out of $729,000. The scheme, revealed in federal court today, involved the cold-blooded exploitation of her own parents’ identities and financial information. Shuster pleaded guilty to two counts…
