ERIE, Pa. – A former resident of Waterford, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Dana Scott Ball, 38, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around September 2013 to in and around January 2015, Ball conspired with three co-defendants to possess with intent to distribute and distribute approximately 700 kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana. In a separate case, from June 2013 through February 2015, Ball engaged in a conspiracy with eighteen co-defendants to distribute and possess with intent to distribute in excess of 150 kilograms of cocaine.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for May 16, 2016 at 12:45 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $15,000,000, or both. Ball faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years on the cocaine case and five years on the marijuana case. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Organized Crime Section, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Ball.