PITTSBURGH – A DuBois woman pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around of Jefferson, Clearfield and Allegheny counties, U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung announced Thursday.
Megan Pyne, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine before U.S. District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.
Pyne was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Pyne was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained between 350 grams and 500 grams of methamphetamine as part of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and redistributed it to methamphetamine users.
Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Pyne on Feb. 27, 2023, at 10 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of forty years in prison, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000, or both.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that the defendant remain on bond pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States.
OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
