PITTSBURGH - A resident of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to 11 years’ imprisonment on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak took the guilty plea and imposed the sentence on 42-year-old Jason Hunter.
According to information presented to the court, in 2013, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies joined forces in a multi-agency wiretap investigation of drug trafficking and violence in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh. Jason Hunter was the California-based source of supply for kilogram quantities of cocaine, which were shipped via the United States Postal Service from California to Pittsburgh. During the FBI’s wiretap investigation, Hunter was also being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Los Angeles. In that investigation, the DEA seized a substantial quantity of cocaine, heroin, cash, and jewelry from Hunter’s car and residence.
Hunter was the final defendant in this multi-defendant case to plead guilty. In total, 38 defendants were indicted and pleaded guilty in this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Caitlin Loughran prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting U.S. Attorney Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, Wilkinsburg Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Munhall Police Department, Duquesne Police Department, Monroeville Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Police Department and the Long Beach Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hunter.