Three Allegheny County residents are among eight people indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on cocaine and fentanyl trafficking allegations, the US Department of Justice said.
The defendants include Derrick Lyman, 59, of McKeesport; Daniel Jackson, 48, of Penn Hills; and Devlin Clifford, 46, of Monroeville. Others charged are Robert East, 69, of Delaware, Ohio; Jose Sanchez-Polanco, 43, of Lawrence, Mass.; Ernesto Castillo, 29, of Lynwood, Calif.; Ricardo Escalona, 41, of Winter Park, Fla.; and Dionisio Gonzalez-Diaz, 57, of Homestead, Fla.
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According to the accusation, on May 28 and June 6, 2024, Castillo and Escalona had more than 5 kg of cocaine with the purpose of distributing it. The indictment also says that on June 27, 2024, all eight defendants conspired to distribute or possess with the purpose to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
Jackson is also charged with possessing more than 5 kilos of cocaine, while Clifford is accused of possessing more than 500 kilograms of cocaine. Lyman, Jackson, and Clifford are also facing firearms charges as prohibited people due to prior narcotics trafficking convictions.
If convicted, Lyman and Clifford could face 15 to life in prison and fines of up to $20 million. Jackson and the other defendants face prison sentences ranging from ten years to life and penalties of up to $10 million. The firearm crimes are punishable by five years to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force attempt to dismantle narcotics cartels, international criminal networks, and human trafficking rings.
