INDIANA COUNTY, Pa. — District Attorney Bob Manzi announced on Friday, August 23, that defendant Andrew Rankin, 36, of Ernest, has been sentenced to serve up to 21 years in state prison.
Rankin entered a no contest plea to Voluntary Manslaughter, a first-degree felony, and a guilty plea to Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Deliver, an ungraded felony.
The Honorable Judge Michael T. Clark sentenced Rankin to serve no less than four and a half years to no more than twenty-one years in a state correctional institution on this case. The sentence on this case was ordered to be served consecutive to the sentence that Rankin is already serving for a separate case involving Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance. The sentences results in the defendant being under supervision by the state until he is close to sixty years old.
In this case, the victim sought to buy three stamp bags of controlled substances from the defendant. The defendant agrees to deliver the narcotics for $40.00. Shortly after that conversation, the victim is found deceased with three stamp bags of controlled substances. In other conversations, the defendant attempts to sell drugs to other individuals with a personalized stamp on it. This particular stamp is the same stamp found on the drugs by the victim.
“Today, we are able to convict this defendant due to the diligent work of the members of the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop A, Indiana. They searched through a great deal of evidence, tied together multiple investigations and put together a promising prosecution” and Manzi. “The members of our state and local law enforcement, along with our partners throughout Pennsylvania and in federal law enforcement are working hard to aggressively investigate and prosecute drug dealers in Indiana County”
“Our main message continues to be that drug dealers are not welcome in Indiana County” said Manzi. “We hope they stop selling poison and address whatever need they have to address.”