Four Pittsburgh Residents Face Drug Trafficking Charges

PITTSBURGH – Four Pittsburgh-area residents have been arrested and charged in federal court with violating conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

The criminal complaint charges Lynell Guyton, 27, Calvin Armstrong, 31, Anthony Lozito, 38, and Kristen Shearer, 21, with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance on or about August 9, 2017.

“Fentanyl exposure is an all too real risk to law enforcement as we learned this morning,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Song. “During the search of the Bond Street residence pursuant to the search warrant, a table where the drugs were being bagged was overturned causing the suspected fentanyl to become airborne. Several SWAT operators experienced dizziness and numbness. In all, 18 officers were transported to UPMC-Mercy for evaluation before being medically cleared. Quick and professional action by first responders helped avert a potential catastrophe.”

According to the complaint, on August 9, 2017, at 6 a.m., U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE)/ Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), assisted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, including the Pittsburgh Police SWAT Team, executed a federal search warrant in Pittsburgh’s West End. Upon arrival, Pittsburgh SWAT made entry into the home and observed Anthony Lozito attempting to exit the residence through a back window. During the entry, a table located near where the individuals were present inside the residence was overturned causing the powder narcotics to become airborne.

In the kitchen of the residence, law enforcement located a plate with a significant quantity of white power on it and a number of packaged stamp bags and empty stamp bags. Officers observed stamp bags bearing both the “Ferrari” stamp and the “Louis Vuitton” stamp. On August 2, 2017, Pittsburgh Police arrested and charged Lynell Guyton locally for possession of both Louis Vuitton and Ferrari stamp bags. Guyton was also charged via criminal complaint on August 8 with attempting to possess with intent to distribute 10 grams of more a detectable amount of an analogue of fentanyl on or about June 1, 2017. In that instance Guyton attempted to receive a package shipped from Hong Kong containing approximately 100 grams of two fentanyl analogues.

The defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court in Pittsburgh on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia R. Eddy. The government is seeking detention of the defendants.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Rachel L. Dizard is prosecuting this case. U.S. ICE/HSI, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, conducted the investigation that led to the complaint against these individuals.

A criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant may not be prosecuted unless, within 30 days, a grand jury has found probable cause to believe that he is guilty of an offense.