2 more defendants in far-reaching Lightfoot drug trafficking ring to face federal sentences

A Washington man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, and a Charleroi man pleaded guilty to federal narcotics charges for their roles in a drug trafficking operation.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence after Douglas Cochran, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams (about a pound) or more of cocaine.

Authorities also announced Anthony Crews, 48, plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

Both were said to be involved in the Lightfoot drug trafficking organization, which helped move as much as 300 pounds of cocaine from Los Angeles to Penn Hills.

Authorities said Cochran was a mid-level member of the conspiracy. He, Crews and others conspired to acquire large quantities of cocaine from January 2017 to November 2017.

They would obtain, re-package and redistributed it to other conspirators and drug customers in Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette and Allegheny counties.

Crews was the 27th defendant to plead guilty in connection with the case.

The two men were among 39 people indicted in April 2018 in connection to the far-reaching operation that flooded most of Pennsylvania with street drugs using a distribution and packaging hub concealed at a Penn Hills house.

Those charged and convicted include a Penn Hills drug guard, a Washington County ex-kindergarten teacher and an inmate who plotted with conspirators while detained in federal prison.

Authorities credited Penn Hills police, as well as officers from Perryopolis, South Strabane and Elizabeth Borough with assisting the FBI and the Pennsylvania State Police in the investigation.