A Cleveland man will spend the next decade and a half in prison after a federal wiretap operation revealed his involvement in a major drug trafficking conspiracy.
Kareem Middlebrook, 43, was sentenced by United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to 180 months in federal prison and eight years of supervised release. Middlebrook’s term, imposed on December 18, 2025, follows his convictions for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine, as well as a firearms offense.
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According to court records, the investigation focused on events that occurred between December 2021 and March 2023. Prosecutors provided evidence that Middlebrook was deeply involved in a network that moved large amounts of narcotics through the Western District of Pennsylvania.
He specifically conspired to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine, as well as fentanyl and crack mixes.
Intercepted communications were key to the prosecution’s case. Authorities caught Middlebrook on a federal wiretap organizing the purchase of drugs, which he then distributed.
In addition to the narcotics allegations, Middlebrook faced legal ramifications for possessing a handgun as a convicted felon. Investigators discovered that Middlebrook was in possession of a firearm in May 2022, although he was already forbidden from owning weapons owing to prior felony convictions. During the same month, he was discovered with a quantity of fentanyl meant for distribution.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. Troy Rivetti, First Assistant United States Attorney, announced the sentencing, citing a broad collaborative effort by law enforcement for the successful prosecution.
The FBI’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations headed the investigation. They were helped by a group of authorities that included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Indiana Borough Police Department.
