Ten from Fayette County among 17 facing federal drug charges
Several from Fayette County were among a group indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to possess and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
In a seven-count indictment, a panel of grand jurors contended that William J. Chaffin Jr., 48, of Adah; Semori Wilson, 45, of Uniontown and Domin Guerrero-Guerrero, 32, of Lebanon, Lebanon County conspired to deliver multiple kilograms of cocaine between June and November.
During that same time frame, Dexter Allen, 27, of Uniontown; George Daube, 59, of Donora, Washington County and Richard Lassic, 41, of Washington, Washington County allegedly conspired to deliver 500 grams (1/2 kilogram) or more of cocaine, according to the indictment filed in Western District Court in Pittsburgh.
Also named as part of the conspiracy count were Marquis Bailey, 24, of Uniontown; Tomarrio Blackburn, 33, of McClellandtown; Anitra Dues, 38, of Adah; Brandon Harrison, 29, of McClellandtown; Mark Jackson, 28, of Uniontown; Keith Thomas, 30, of Uniontown; Chalfonte Demery, 34, of McKeesport, Allegheny County; Damien Gibson, 41, of Duquesne, Allegheny County and Peter Hawkins, 44, of McKeesport.
Two others named in the indictment, Nygel Saunders, 26, of Uniontown and Herbert Ballard, 50, of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County face drug-related crimes, but were not charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
According to the penalties listed in the indictment, Chaffin, Wilson and Guerrero-Guerrero could face 10 years to life if the charge is a first offense, 20 years to life if it’s a second offense or a mandatory life sentence if convicted of a third drug-related offense. They could also face millions in potential fines if convicted.
Chaffin, Lassic, Ballard and Thomas are each also charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of an unspecified quantity of cocaine. Wilson and Saunders face the same charges, but the indictment specified they had 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Additionally, Chaffin is charged with having a firearm/ammunition. The indictment indicated he was convicted of aggravated assault and drug charges in Allegheny County in 1996, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The indictment alleged that in November, he had a .38-caliber revolver, two .22-caliber revolvers, a rifle, a box of 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition and a box of 60 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition.
The indictment asks for forfeiture of various guns and ammunition, $10,067 seized from Wilson at a Uniontown home and several vehicles owned by Chaffin, Daube, Ballard, Hawkins, Wilson, Reeves and Veres.
Wilson and Saunders were charged last month. Wilson was detained without bond, while Saunders was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond.
In a detailed complaint filed with those charges, authorities alleged the men were a part of a “large scale cocaine trafficking business.” The complaint in that case alleged that Wilson received kilogram quantities of cocaine from New York, and brought them to Fayette County.
The majority of the cocaine was stored at Saunders’ home, that complaint alleged.
A federal judge arraigned the following people, and released each on a $50,0000 unsecured bond: Allen, Daube, Demery, Hawkins, Blackburn, Dues, Jackson, Thomas and Bailey.
Harrison waived a detention hearing, and was detained without bond, according to court records.
Chaffin, Gibson and Ballard are all scheduled for detention hearings today. Prosecutors have contended each should be held without bond because each is a flight risk and a danger to the community. The request for detention also cites the serious nature of the allegations.
Non information about bond was immediately available for Guerrero-Guerrero and Lassic.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department and Allegheny County Police Department. The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.