Feb 21, 2017 2 min read

The south Texas supplier of a Pittsburgh cocaine ring pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws.

Dante Ivan Lozano, age 41, of Brownsville, Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments before U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab, a press release from the U.S. attorney’s office stated.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that between 2011 and 2015, Lozano mailed 100 or more packages of cocaine to Jeffrey Turner and April Racan in Elizabeth and McKeesport. Approximately eight kilograms (about 18 pounds) of cocaine were sent in this fashion.

Turner and Racan then sold the cocaine to Brian Kettering of Charleroi and others.

Although cash from the drug sales was generally sent back to Lozano, during a six-month period in 2012, postal money orders were purchased by Kettering and William Coulson, at the direction of Turner and Racan. The money orders totaled at least $116,700, and were purchased in 11 Mon Valley-area post offices.

Turner and Racan sent the money orders to Texas to a Dairy Queen managed by Daniel Cosme. Cosme turned the money orders over to Lozano, who used Hugo Balboa and other straw parties to launder the money orders by cashing some and depositing others into various bank accounts.

Joseph Borrelli, at that time postmaster in West Newton, aided the drug conspiracy by providing addresses for vacant homes where the cocaine packages could be sent. When they arrived at the post office, the packages would be diverted to Turner and Racan.

Turner, Racan, Cosme, Balboa, Kettering and Coulson were convicted of money laundering conspiracy, and Turner, Racan, Borrelli and Kettering were convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Kettering’s sentencing is scheduled for March 8.