PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearm and narcotic laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The five-count Superseding Indictment named Maurice White Jr., age 22, formerly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Superseding Indictment, on September 21, 2022, White Jr. knowingly possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine base, Schedule II controlled substances. Additionally, on the same day, White Jr., possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 15 years in prison, a fine of no greater than $250,000, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, or a combination thereof. 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 defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.