Nov 21, 2020 3 min read

A drug trafficking organization mainly operating in Washington, Fayette and Allegheny counties has been dismantled as 21 of its alleged members were indicted by a federal grand jury.

The drug-trafficking organization (DTO) reportedly trafficked “significant” quantities of cocaine, crack, heroin and fentanyl in the area, officials from the Department of Justice said Friday. The organization was named the Marcus Brown DTO for a 33-year-old Washington man who allegedly headed the organization in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Of the 21 defendants, 17 were arrested Thursday and the remaining four were already in custody.

“From Erie to Fayette and Lawrence to Cambria, we are systematically dismantling drug trafficking organizations operating in every western Pennsylvania county,” said U.S. Attorney Brady. “The Marcus Brown DTO has joined a long list of cocaine and heroin distribution networks that are out of business and behind bars.”

The 17 defendants were arrested as a part of the FBI Operation Skyfall, which included seven months of federally authorized wiretaps on 10 phones. Brown and Steve Law IV, 29, of Washington, would allegedly obtain cocaine and heroin in New Jersey and distribute it in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

“The FBI and our partners will not let drugs and gun violence rip apart our communities,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael Christman. “Many of the people arrested have dangerous, violent criminal histories. They thrived on selling drugs that lead to dangerous consequences. Let this be a warning to other bad actors. The FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to investigate, disrupt and hold accountable those who insist on bringing their harmful business to our neighborhoods.”

The following people were indicted for allegedly conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine between April and October:

Brown, Law, Brandon Boone, 38, Kenneth Brooks Jr., 27, Kevin Bush, 51, Marc Cain, 57, Princess Makokele, 40, Johnnita Richardson, 33, Warren Sadler, 56, all of Washington; Brian Householder, 57, of Greensburg; David McComb, 32, of Coraopolis; Steve Miller, 48, of Allegheny; Andrew Molinaro, 42, Matthew Spicer, 50, and Kristen Steffan, 36, all of Canonsburg, and Justin Vance, 36, of Jersey City, N.J.

The following were indicted for allegedly conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 280 grams of crack cocaine between June and October:

Brown, Boone, Brooks, Law, Makokele, Sadler, Michael Brown, 56, of Brownsville, and Michael Pusateri, 39, of Washington.

The following were charged with conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine between June and August:

Spicer, Walter Brunson Jr., 51, of Pittsburgh, Shawn McFarland, 51, of Lawrence, and Bradley Stopperich, 49, of Washington.

Marcus Brown, Brooks, Law and Vance were also charged with conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl between August and October.