Feds accuse 26 of being part of fentanyl-trafficking ring tied to Shot Boyz gang, Latrobe drug dealing

A federal grand jury this week indicted more than two dozen people for their alleged roles in a fentanyl-trafficking ring that stretched into Westmoreland County.

The 17-page indictment unsealed Friday is the culmination of a five-month wiretap investigation that included law enforcement from Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg, Latrobe, federal agents and more.

Most of those indicted are allegedly to be part of a gang known as Shot Boyz.

“Make no mistake about it, drug trafficking is not non-violent,” U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said at a Friday press conference. “We see that violence is a tool of the trade with drug trafficking — they go hand in hand. We see overdose deaths, we see turf wars, home invasions, shootings, homicides and most disturbingly, we see the law-abiding citizens living in fear.”

The indictment alleges 26 people participated in the conspiracy to distribute large amounts of fentanyl throughout Pittsburgh’s East Hills and Homewood areas as well as the borough of Wilkinsburg.

Some associates also distributed the powerful opioid in Latrobe as well.

Those indicted are:

• Tyric Allen, 25, of Pittsburgh;

• Phillip Ahmad-Revis, 20, of Pittsburgh;

• Djuan Beasley, 20, of Swissvale;

• Marcus Best, 27, of Munhall;

• Davon Cleveland, 20, of Pittsburgh;

• Donshae Dunning, 32, of McKeesport;

• Dominic Fields, 33, of McKeesport;

• Donald Hantz, 37, of Latrobe;

• Taire Hardeman, 20, of Wilkinsburg;

• Natrell Jeffries, 21, of Wilkinsburg;

• Mandee Kozar, 34, of Latrobe;

• Seth Lindsey, 26, of Verona;

• Davon Loveings, 29, of Pittsburgh;

• Bryan Matthews, 31, of Penn Hills;

• Tayvon Mattox, 20, of Pittsburgh;

• Barbara McClure, 46, of Latrobe;

• Jerome Pleasant-Simpson, 25, of Pittsburgh;

• Parris Scott, 20, of Pittsburgh;

• Nikki Sherback, 35, of Latrobe;

• Robert Smiley, 30, of Pittsburgh;

• Patrick Smith, 36, of Latrobe;

• Jeffrey Tumer, 29, of Monroeville;

• Garrett Weaver, 38, of Monroeville;

• Jeremy Winfield, 25, of Pittsburgh;

• Marquille Wright, 25, of Munhall.

The collaboration with multiple law enforcement agencies is the right approach, said Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert.

“In all too many times in the past, we took it out on the communities,” he said of efforts to break up drug rings in years past. “We went in with ‘zero tolerance’ and we were actually harming the people who wanted us to help them. That’s something that we stopped, and this is a part of it — having coordinated efforts to single out the ones who are causing the violence and taking them off the streets.”

Latrobe Police Chief John Sleasman said in a statement the collaboration helped take dangerous drugs off Westmoreland streets.

“The amount of heroin and fentanyl coming into Westmoreland County and Latrobe will be dramatically reduced, as will the amount of senseless overdoses in our area,” he said.

In addition to fentanyl, authorities seized crack, heroin, guns and money in the bust, Brady said. He also put other gangs still operating in the region on alert.

“If you’re a drug dealer, or you’re a gang member, go back to Philadelphia. Go back to Detroit,” he said. “Get out of our community, because we know who you are and we’re coming for you.”