An Arnold man who led police on a high-speed chase with a child in the car was sentenced to 13 years in prison on a federal fentanyl and heroin trafficking charge.
Kevin Watson, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge W. Scott Hardy. His sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti’s office.
Watson in September pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin.
Watson was granted a new trial last year after the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned his conviction in 2021.
Watson, who represented himself in the case, raised several grounds on appeal. The U.S. Attorney’s Office conceded on one issue, that the judge permitted improper cross-examination and closing argument, which resulted in error.
They agreed Watson was entitled to a new trial.
On April 26, 2019, state police tried to pull Watson over on Route 28 near the RIDC Park exit for dark window tint, according to authorities. A child was in the back seat of Watson’s vehicle.
Watson sped away and led officers on a chase that reached speeds of 115 mph before crashing at the foot of the Tarentum Bridge, according to authorities. Watson ran away from the crash scene, leaving the child unattended in the car. The child was not seriously injured, officials said at the time.
Later, police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle, which turned up more than $100,000 worth of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin in the trunk, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Watson had three previous drug trafficking convictions and was on parole at the time of the 2019 offense.
