Former Donora man among five facing federal drug charges
A former Donora man is among five people arrested Monday and charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Jamie Ruiz Lightfoot Jr., 25, who until recently lived in the borough but now has a Verona address; Don Juan Mendoza, 38 of Lawrenceville, Ga.; Pedro Alejandro Blanco, 39, and Brian Powell, both of Jacksonville, Fla., and Troy Rowe, 28, of Columbia, S.C., were each charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, a recreational vehicle with Georgia license plates was seen arriving just after noon Sunday at Lightfoot’s home in Verona.
Investigators saw two men carry luggage from the RV, get into a car and leave the area. Investigators were able to follow the men to a hotel in Pittsburgh. Powell and Rowe were detained.
Information obtained from Powell’s cellphone through a search warrant indicated he left the Los Angeles area Friday and drove directly to Verona. Investigators believe Powell, Rose and Blanco were involved in the transport of the RV and drugs to Lightfoot’s home.
Investigators then executed a search warrant on the home, where Lightfoot, Mendoza and Blanco were present. The three men were detained.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars was found inside the home. A drug-sniffing dog was used to search the exterior of the RV, which was parked in the driveway, and hit on the vehicle. After getting a search warrant, investigators found about 52 kilograms of cocaine, 85 pounds of marijuana and two guns. The drugs were found hidden under bunk beds in the RV. The guns were found in the same container.
“This large amount of drugs and these firearms are indicative of large-scale drug trafficking,” according to the affidavit.
“This seizure of 52 kilograms of cocaine is among the largest in Western Pennsylvania history and is a testament to proactive investigative work by federal, state and local partners,” said Soo C. Song, acting U.S. attorney for Western Pennsylvania. “While fentanyl and heroin remain the most lethal threats, we are witnessing an alarming rebound in cocaine production and availability.”
Court records show Lightfoot is facing a Jan. 17 preliminary hearing on charges including false identification filed by Elizabeth police stemming from a Sept. 1 traffic stop. He has a Donora address listed in court documents on those charges.
All five men are in federal custody and face detention hearings. The investigation was done by the FBI and the state police Southwest Strike Force assisted by police from South Strabane Township, Elizabeth, Penn Hills and Perryopolis.