PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 28 months’ imprisonment and 3 years supervised release on his conviction of drug distribution and firearms charges, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Clarence Thomas, 30, of Pittsburgh, PA.
/**
* SNN Article Link Cleanup & Display Stability
* Disable BOTH "Link Cleaner" and "WP Perf" before activating.
* Paste into Code Snippets as PHP; run everywhere.
*
* Standard RSS feeds, REST output, schema and article identifiers
* are not rewritten. Requires WordPress 6.2+ for link cleanup.
*/
if ( ! class_exists( 'SNN_Safe_Display_20261031', false ) ) {
final class SNN_Safe_Display_20261031 {
public static function boot() {
add_action( 'init', array( __CLASS__, 'head_cleanup' ), 20 );
add_filter( 'the_content', array( __CLASS__, 'article_links' ), 99 );
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', array( __CLASS__, 'display_css' ), 100 );
}
public static function head_cleanup() {
if ( is_admin() ) {
return;
}
remove_action( 'wp_head', 'wp_generator' );
remove_action( 'wp_head', 'print_emoji_detection_script', 7 );
remove_action( 'wp_print_styles', 'print_emoji_styles' );
}
public static function skip_request() {
return is_admin()
|| is_feed()
|| is_trackback()
|| ( defined( 'REST_REQUEST' ) && REST_REQUEST )
|| wp_doing_ajax()
|| is_preview();
}
/**
* Remove UTM parameters while preserving other query parameters,
* their order, encoding and the URL fragment.
*/
public static function clean_url( $url ) {
if ( ! is_string( $url ) || $url === '' ) {
return $url;
}
// Preserve non-web schemes such as mailto:, tel: and data:.
if (
preg_match( '/^[a-z][a-z0-9+.-]*:/i', $url )
&& ! preg_match( '~^https?://~i', $url )
) {
return $url;
}
$parts = explode( '#', $url, 2 );
$base = explode( '?', $parts[0], 2 );
if ( count( $base ) !== 2 ) {
return $url;
}
$pairs = explode( '&', $base[1] );
// Preserve commonly signed URLs.
foreach ( $pairs as $pair ) {
$parameter = explode( '=', $pair, 2 );
$key = strtolower( urldecode( $parameter[0] ) );
if (
in_array(
$key,
array(
'signature',
'sig',
'x-amz-signature',
'x-goog-signature',
),
true
)
) {
return $url;
}
}
$kept = array();
$changed = false;
foreach ( $pairs as $pair ) {
$parameter = explode( '=', $pair, 2 );
$key = urldecode( $parameter[0] );
if ( stripos( $key, 'utm_' ) === 0 ) {
$changed = true;
continue;
}
$kept[] = $pair;
}
if ( ! $changed ) {
return $url;
}
$query = implode( '&', $kept );
return $base[0]
. ( $query !== '' ? '?' . $query : '' )
. ( isset( $parts[1] ) ? '#' . $parts[1] : '' );
}
/**
* Clean anchor URLs in displayed single-post content only.
* Do not buffer or rewrite the full page or feed response.
*/
public static function article_links( $html ) {
if (
! is_string( $html )
|| self::skip_request()
|| ! is_singular( 'post' )
|| ! in_the_loop()
|| ! is_main_query()
|| apply_filters( 'snn_safe_display_skip_links', false )
|| ! class_exists( 'WP_HTML_Tag_Processor' )
) {
return $html;
}
$processor = new WP_HTML_Tag_Processor( $html );
while ( $processor->next_tag( 'A' ) ) {
$href = $processor->get_attribute( 'href' );
if ( ! is_string( $href ) ) {
continue;
}
$clean = self::clean_url( $href );
if ( $clean !== $href ) {
$processor->set_attribute( 'href', $clean );
}
}
return $processor->get_updated_html();
}
public static function display_css() {
if ( self::skip_request() || ! is_singular( 'post' ) ) {
return;
}
/*
* Space reservations apply only to ad wrappers with these classes.
* Adjust the heights to match your actual ad placements.
* Unfilled ad slots can retain blank space.
*/
$css = '
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-inarticle {
min-height: 280px;
}
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-sidebar {
min-height: 280px;
}
.entry-content p.wp-block-paragraph {
overflow-wrap: break-word;
}
@media (max-width: 921px) {
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-sidebar {
min-height: 100px;
}
}
';
wp_register_style(
'snn-safe-display',
false,
array(),
'1.0.0'
);
wp_enqueue_style( 'snn-safe-display' );
wp_add_inline_style( 'snn-safe-display', $css );
}
}
SNN_Safe_Display_20261031::boot();
}
Thomas, who had a prior felony heroin trafficking conviction, pleaded guilty on Aug. 25, 2022, to possessing with intent to distribute quantities of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The drugs, Ruger pistol, and ammunition were seized from Thomas’s residence by City of Pittsburgh police officers during the execution of a search warrant on Nov. 10, 2019. The Ruger pistol had been previously reported as being stolen.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Cercone noted that the distribution of fentanyl had recently become prolific in the Pittsburgh area and was particularly serious in that it was causing deaths among users.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Thomas.
/**
* SNN Article Link Cleanup & Display Stability
* Disable BOTH "Link Cleaner" and "WP Perf" before activating.
* Paste into Code Snippets as PHP; run everywhere.
*
* Standard RSS feeds, REST output, schema and article identifiers
* are not rewritten. Requires WordPress 6.2+ for link cleanup.
*/
if ( ! class_exists( 'SNN_Safe_Display_20261031', false ) ) {
final class SNN_Safe_Display_20261031 {
public static function boot() {
add_action( 'init', array( __CLASS__, 'head_cleanup' ), 20 );
add_filter( 'the_content', array( __CLASS__, 'article_links' ), 99 );
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', array( __CLASS__, 'display_css' ), 100 );
}
public static function head_cleanup() {
if ( is_admin() ) {
return;
}
remove_action( 'wp_head', 'wp_generator' );
remove_action( 'wp_head', 'print_emoji_detection_script', 7 );
remove_action( 'wp_print_styles', 'print_emoji_styles' );
}
public static function skip_request() {
return is_admin()
|| is_feed()
|| is_trackback()
|| ( defined( 'REST_REQUEST' ) && REST_REQUEST )
|| wp_doing_ajax()
|| is_preview();
}
/**
* Remove UTM parameters while preserving other query parameters,
* their order, encoding and the URL fragment.
*/
public static function clean_url( $url ) {
if ( ! is_string( $url ) || $url === '' ) {
return $url;
}
// Preserve non-web schemes such as mailto:, tel: and data:.
if (
preg_match( '/^[a-z][a-z0-9+.-]*:/i', $url )
&& ! preg_match( '~^https?://~i', $url )
) {
return $url;
}
$parts = explode( '#', $url, 2 );
$base = explode( '?', $parts[0], 2 );
if ( count( $base ) !== 2 ) {
return $url;
}
$pairs = explode( '&', $base[1] );
// Preserve commonly signed URLs.
foreach ( $pairs as $pair ) {
$parameter = explode( '=', $pair, 2 );
$key = strtolower( urldecode( $parameter[0] ) );
if (
in_array(
$key,
array(
'signature',
'sig',
'x-amz-signature',
'x-goog-signature',
),
true
)
) {
return $url;
}
}
$kept = array();
$changed = false;
foreach ( $pairs as $pair ) {
$parameter = explode( '=', $pair, 2 );
$key = urldecode( $parameter[0] );
if ( stripos( $key, 'utm_' ) === 0 ) {
$changed = true;
continue;
}
$kept[] = $pair;
}
if ( ! $changed ) {
return $url;
}
$query = implode( '&', $kept );
return $base[0]
. ( $query !== '' ? '?' . $query : '' )
. ( isset( $parts[1] ) ? '#' . $parts[1] : '' );
}
/**
* Clean anchor URLs in displayed single-post content only.
* Do not buffer or rewrite the full page or feed response.
*/
public static function article_links( $html ) {
if (
! is_string( $html )
|| self::skip_request()
|| ! is_singular( 'post' )
|| ! in_the_loop()
|| ! is_main_query()
|| apply_filters( 'snn_safe_display_skip_links', false )
|| ! class_exists( 'WP_HTML_Tag_Processor' )
) {
return $html;
}
$processor = new WP_HTML_Tag_Processor( $html );
while ( $processor->next_tag( 'A' ) ) {
$href = $processor->get_attribute( 'href' );
if ( ! is_string( $href ) ) {
continue;
}
$clean = self::clean_url( $href );
if ( $clean !== $href ) {
$processor->set_attribute( 'href', $clean );
}
}
return $processor->get_updated_html();
}
public static function display_css() {
if ( self::skip_request() || ! is_singular( 'post' ) ) {
return;
}
/*
* Space reservations apply only to ad wrappers with these classes.
* Adjust the heights to match your actual ad placements.
* Unfilled ad slots can retain blank space.
*/
$css = '
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-inarticle {
min-height: 280px;
}
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-sidebar {
min-height: 280px;
}
.entry-content p.wp-block-paragraph {
overflow-wrap: break-word;
}
@media (max-width: 921px) {
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-sidebar {
min-height: 100px;
}
}
';
wp_register_style(
'snn-safe-display',
false,
array(),
'1.0.0'
);
wp_enqueue_style( 'snn-safe-display' );
wp_add_inline_style( 'snn-safe-display', $css );
}
}
SNN_Safe_Display_20261031::boot();
}
/**
* SNN Article Link Cleanup & Display Stability
* Disable BOTH "Link Cleaner" and "WP Perf" before activating.
* Paste into Code Snippets as PHP; run everywhere.
*
* Standard RSS feeds, REST output, schema and article identifiers
* are not rewritten. Requires WordPress 6.2+ for link cleanup.
*/
if ( ! class_exists( 'SNN_Safe_Display_20261031', false ) ) {
final class SNN_Safe_Display_20261031 {
public static function boot() {
add_action( 'init', array( __CLASS__, 'head_cleanup' ), 20 );
add_filter( 'the_content', array( __CLASS__, 'article_links' ), 99 );
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', array( __CLASS__, 'display_css' ), 100 );
}
public static function head_cleanup() {
if ( is_admin() ) {
return;
}
remove_action( 'wp_head', 'wp_generator' );
remove_action( 'wp_head', 'print_emoji_detection_script', 7 );
remove_action( 'wp_print_styles', 'print_emoji_styles' );
}
public static function skip_request() {
return is_admin()
|| is_feed()
|| is_trackback()
|| ( defined( 'REST_REQUEST' ) && REST_REQUEST )
|| wp_doing_ajax()
|| is_preview();
}
/**
* Remove UTM parameters while preserving other query parameters,
* their order, encoding and the URL fragment.
*/
public static function clean_url( $url ) {
if ( ! is_string( $url ) || $url === '' ) {
return $url;
}
// Preserve non-web schemes such as mailto:, tel: and data:.
if (
preg_match( '/^[a-z][a-z0-9+.-]*:/i', $url )
&& ! preg_match( '~^https?://~i', $url )
) {
return $url;
}
$parts = explode( '#', $url, 2 );
$base = explode( '?', $parts[0], 2 );
if ( count( $base ) !== 2 ) {
return $url;
}
$pairs = explode( '&', $base[1] );
// Preserve commonly signed URLs.
foreach ( $pairs as $pair ) {
$parameter = explode( '=', $pair, 2 );
$key = strtolower( urldecode( $parameter[0] ) );
if (
in_array(
$key,
array(
'signature',
'sig',
'x-amz-signature',
'x-goog-signature',
),
true
)
) {
return $url;
}
}
$kept = array();
$changed = false;
foreach ( $pairs as $pair ) {
$parameter = explode( '=', $pair, 2 );
$key = urldecode( $parameter[0] );
if ( stripos( $key, 'utm_' ) === 0 ) {
$changed = true;
continue;
}
$kept[] = $pair;
}
if ( ! $changed ) {
return $url;
}
$query = implode( '&', $kept );
return $base[0]
. ( $query !== '' ? '?' . $query : '' )
. ( isset( $parts[1] ) ? '#' . $parts[1] : '' );
}
/**
* Clean anchor URLs in displayed single-post content only.
* Do not buffer or rewrite the full page or feed response.
*/
public static function article_links( $html ) {
if (
! is_string( $html )
|| self::skip_request()
|| ! is_singular( 'post' )
|| ! in_the_loop()
|| ! is_main_query()
|| apply_filters( 'snn_safe_display_skip_links', false )
|| ! class_exists( 'WP_HTML_Tag_Processor' )
) {
return $html;
}
$processor = new WP_HTML_Tag_Processor( $html );
while ( $processor->next_tag( 'A' ) ) {
$href = $processor->get_attribute( 'href' );
if ( ! is_string( $href ) ) {
continue;
}
$clean = self::clean_url( $href );
if ( $clean !== $href ) {
$processor->set_attribute( 'href', $clean );
}
}
return $processor->get_updated_html();
}
public static function display_css() {
if ( self::skip_request() || ! is_singular( 'post' ) ) {
return;
}
/*
* Space reservations apply only to ad wrappers with these classes.
* Adjust the heights to match your actual ad placements.
* Unfilled ad slots can retain blank space.
*/
$css = '
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-inarticle {
min-height: 280px;
}
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-sidebar {
min-height: 280px;
}
.entry-content p.wp-block-paragraph {
overflow-wrap: break-word;
}
@media (max-width: 921px) {
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-sidebar {
min-height: 100px;
}
}
';
wp_register_style(
'snn-safe-display',
false,
array(),
'1.0.0'
);
wp_enqueue_style( 'snn-safe-display' );
wp_add_inline_style( 'snn-safe-display', $css );
}
}
SNN_Safe_Display_20261031::boot();
}
/**
* SNN Article Link Cleanup & Display Stability
* Disable BOTH "Link Cleaner" and "WP Perf" before activating.
* Paste into Code Snippets as PHP; run everywhere.
*
* Standard RSS feeds, REST output, schema and article identifiers
* are not rewritten. Requires WordPress 6.2+ for link cleanup.
*/
if ( ! class_exists( 'SNN_Safe_Display_20261031', false ) ) {
final class SNN_Safe_Display_20261031 {
public static function boot() {
add_action( 'init', array( __CLASS__, 'head_cleanup' ), 20 );
add_filter( 'the_content', array( __CLASS__, 'article_links' ), 99 );
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', array( __CLASS__, 'display_css' ), 100 );
}
public static function head_cleanup() {
if ( is_admin() ) {
return;
}
remove_action( 'wp_head', 'wp_generator' );
remove_action( 'wp_head', 'print_emoji_detection_script', 7 );
remove_action( 'wp_print_styles', 'print_emoji_styles' );
}
public static function skip_request() {
return is_admin()
|| is_feed()
|| is_trackback()
|| ( defined( 'REST_REQUEST' ) && REST_REQUEST )
|| wp_doing_ajax()
|| is_preview();
}
/**
* Remove UTM parameters while preserving other query parameters,
* their order, encoding and the URL fragment.
*/
public static function clean_url( $url ) {
if ( ! is_string( $url ) || $url === '' ) {
return $url;
}
// Preserve non-web schemes such as mailto:, tel: and data:.
if (
preg_match( '/^[a-z][a-z0-9+.-]*:/i', $url )
&& ! preg_match( '~^https?://~i', $url )
) {
return $url;
}
$parts = explode( '#', $url, 2 );
$base = explode( '?', $parts[0], 2 );
if ( count( $base ) !== 2 ) {
return $url;
}
$pairs = explode( '&', $base[1] );
// Preserve commonly signed URLs.
foreach ( $pairs as $pair ) {
$parameter = explode( '=', $pair, 2 );
$key = strtolower( urldecode( $parameter[0] ) );
if (
in_array(
$key,
array(
'signature',
'sig',
'x-amz-signature',
'x-goog-signature',
),
true
)
) {
return $url;
}
}
$kept = array();
$changed = false;
foreach ( $pairs as $pair ) {
$parameter = explode( '=', $pair, 2 );
$key = urldecode( $parameter[0] );
if ( stripos( $key, 'utm_' ) === 0 ) {
$changed = true;
continue;
}
$kept[] = $pair;
}
if ( ! $changed ) {
return $url;
}
$query = implode( '&', $kept );
return $base[0]
. ( $query !== '' ? '?' . $query : '' )
. ( isset( $parts[1] ) ? '#' . $parts[1] : '' );
}
/**
* Clean anchor URLs in displayed single-post content only.
* Do not buffer or rewrite the full page or feed response.
*/
public static function article_links( $html ) {
if (
! is_string( $html )
|| self::skip_request()
|| ! is_singular( 'post' )
|| ! in_the_loop()
|| ! is_main_query()
|| apply_filters( 'snn_safe_display_skip_links', false )
|| ! class_exists( 'WP_HTML_Tag_Processor' )
) {
return $html;
}
$processor = new WP_HTML_Tag_Processor( $html );
while ( $processor->next_tag( 'A' ) ) {
$href = $processor->get_attribute( 'href' );
if ( ! is_string( $href ) ) {
continue;
}
$clean = self::clean_url( $href );
if ( $clean !== $href ) {
$processor->set_attribute( 'href', $clean );
}
}
return $processor->get_updated_html();
}
public static function display_css() {
if ( self::skip_request() || ! is_singular( 'post' ) ) {
return;
}
/*
* Space reservations apply only to ad wrappers with these classes.
* Adjust the heights to match your actual ad placements.
* Unfilled ad slots can retain blank space.
*/
$css = '
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-inarticle {
min-height: 280px;
}
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-sidebar {
min-height: 280px;
}
.entry-content p.wp-block-paragraph {
overflow-wrap: break-word;
}
@media (max-width: 921px) {
.snn-ad-container.snn-ad-sidebar {
min-height: 100px;
}
}
';
wp_register_style(
'snn-safe-display',
false,
array(),
'1.0.0'
);
wp_enqueue_style( 'snn-safe-display' );
wp_add_inline_style( 'snn-safe-display', $css );
}
}
SNN_Safe_Display_20261031::boot();
}