Eric G. Olshan | United States Attorney | US Attorney's Office Western District of Pennsylvania
Eric G. Olshan | United States Attorney | US Attorney's Office Western District of Pennsylvania
A federal jury in Pittsburgh found Leon C. Ford guilty on two counts of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced on September 23, 2024.
Ford, aged 58 and a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was tried before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. The evidence presented at trial showed that Ford, who has a prior federal conviction for drug trafficking, conspired to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl between March 2021 and September 2021. Additionally, he possessed with the intent to distribute a kilogram of fentanyl on September 16, 2021.
Ford was the subject of a long-term Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. Among the evidence were seizures from a co-defendant’s residence used by Ford as a stash house and approximately $240,000 in drug proceeds from his own residence and vehicle. Markings on the seized fentanyl matched coded references used by Ford in intercepted conversations via Title III wiretaps.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for January 29, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence ranging from not less than 15 years to life in prison and fines up to $20 million. The actual sentence will be determined based on the seriousness of the offenses and Ford's prior criminal history.
Pending sentencing, Ford has been remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Jordan and Jonathan D. Lusty are prosecuting the case for the government.
The investigation leading to Ford's prosecution involved multiple agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, McKeesport Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Fort Worth Police Department, and Dallas Police Department.
OCDETF aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle high-level drug traffickers and other criminal organizations through a multi-agency approach that combines federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts.
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