Thomas Snelsire, Federal Narcotics Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2020

PITTSBURGH – Thomas Snelsire, a 47-year-old former resident of Baldwin, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for violating federal narcotics trafficking laws, announced United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung.

United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Snelsire on TBD (no specific date given).

According to information presented to the court, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted a long-term investigation into drug-trafficking activity occurring in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Law enforcement identified several individuals, suspected at the time, of illegally distributing controlled substances, including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine in Allegheny, Westmoreland, Erie, Fayette, and Washington Counties.

Snelsire, an associate of Peluso’s and a drug-trafficker in the Baldwin and surrounding neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, dealt controlled substances out of his residence on Oakleaf Road, during the course of the conspiracy. He accepted responsibility for distributing at least 500 grams of cocaine and at least 100 grams of heroin during the conspiracy.

The Court was further informed that during intercepted communications, Snelsire and Peluso discussed various types and quantities of controlled substances. For example, in September of 2020, Snelsire obtained cocaine from Peluso but was intercepted over a period of several days complaining to Peluso about the quality of the cocaine. At one point, during these communications, Snelsire informed Peluso that he placed the cocaine on a napkin, which he set on a plate, telling Peluso: “I got it under lamp in living room.”

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led the multi-agency investigation of this case, including the 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 the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations.

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