PITTSBURGH, PA – On February 18, 2022, a resident of suburban Pittsburgh, was sentenced in federal court to five years’ (60 months’) imprisonment and four years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Merlereace Garnett Carter-Burkes Jr. age, 32 of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Carter-Burkes Jr. possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine when he was stopped by officers from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for traffic violations. After the officers developed probable cause to search his vehicle, the officers conducted a search, and the search revealed a semi-automatic pistol and five large vacuum sealed baggies that contained approximately 563 grams of cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Carter-Burkes Jr.