Feds link Mon Valley men to large-scale cocaine ring
Three Mon Valley men have been linked to what authorities claim was a large-scale cocaine distribution ring that was broken up through a federal investigation in November.
Prosecutors last week charged Deaubre Lightfoot of Monessen, and Brandon Thomas and Anthony Davis, both of Donora, with possession with intent to deliver cocaine, court records show.
The case stems from the Nov. 6 arrests of five men, including Lightfoot’s brother, Jamie Lightfoot Jr., 25, of Verona, after investigators seized 52 kilograms of cocaine, 85 pounds of marijuana and two firearms as part of the investigation into what they called a cross-country drug operation.
Investigators claimed the drugs were hidden in a recreational vehicle traveling from the Los Angeles area to Jamie Lightfoot’s residence. Authorities also seized hundreds of thousands of dollars from Lightfoot, formerly of the Mon Valley, according to a news release issued by acting U.S. Attorney Soo C. Song.
Investigators said they later found cocaine while searching Deaubre Lightfoot’s residence, and they also served a search warrant on Davis’ residence on Castner Avenue. They allegedly seized five ounces of cocaine there, along with 10 pounds of marijuana, a drug press and $11,000, $10,000 of which was vacuum sealed, court records indicate.
Investigators also searched Thomas’ residence on Koehlar Avenue, where they said they seized marijuana and $5,000.
They claim in court documents that Thomas admitted to using Davis’ residence as his “stash house” and that he took responsibility for all of the drugs located in the two houses.
Thomas and Deaubre Lighthouse, 27, are in federal custody. Davis is free on $10,000 unsecured bond, said Margaret Philbin, spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Pittsburgh.
The others who were charged last month in the case are: Don Juan Mendoza, 38, of Lawrenceville, Ga.; Pedro Alejandro Blanco and Brian Powell, both 39 and from Jacksonville, Fla.; and Troy Rowe, 28, of Columbia, S.C.
Meanwhile, Deaubre Lightfoot faces a preliminary hearing next month on numerous charges involving his arrest in June after Elizabeth Borough police said officers seized 50 bricks of heroin from a vehicle he was driving.