PITTSBURGH, PA — An Aliquippa resident has been sentenced to five years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking organization. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.
Anthony Tusweet Smith Jr., 24, was handed the sentence by United States District Judge William S. Stickman. Smith was part of a multi-defendant conspiracy that dealt with large quantities of controlled substances from May 2021 to November 2021.
The court was informed that Smith distributed fentanyl to end users near his residence in Aliquippa, PA. During his federal arrest, law enforcement officers seized four firearms from his residence, including a loaded semi-automatic rifle with an attached 30-round capacity magazine found near packaged fentanyl. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Smith was held accountable for the distribution and/or possession with intent to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl.
Before imposing the sentence, Judge Stickman emphasized the lethal combination of drugs and guns within the community.
Smith’s successful prosecution was the result of extensive collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement under the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program in Beaver County.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kara Cotter prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan praised the efforts of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their investigation leading to Smith’s successful prosecution.
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