PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of North Versailles, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The three-count Indictment returned on February 1, 2022, named Jerome Sidney Whitley, age 23, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about July 10, 2021, Whitley possessed with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and possessed an Anderson Manufacturing .223 caliber rifle in furtherance of drug trafficking and as a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $1,500,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Doug Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Versailles Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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