Date: 08-16-2024

Case Style:

United States of America v. Christopher Andrew Salgado

Case Number: 2:23-cr-00046

Judge: W. Scott Hardy

Court: The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (Allegheny County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh

Defendant's Attorney:

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Description:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy
Former California Resident Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Role in Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy

Detween March 2022 and September 2022, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The investigation revealed that a cocaine source of supply in California would mail parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine to a residence in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. After investigators seized a parcel containing two kilograms of cocaine before it reached the Aliquippa residence, the source of supply began sending the parcels to Salgado in West Virginia. Thereafter, mobile and electronic surveillance confirmed that Andrew Salgado, age 24, would drive the parcels from West Virginia to the Pittsburgh International Airport, pick-up co-defendant Jose Sanchez, who would arrive on flights from California, and transport both the parcel and Sanchez to another co-defendant, Romaro Foster Sr., in Aliquippa.

Following one re-supply of cocaine to Foster, law enforcement followed Salgado as he drove Sanchez back to the Pittsburgh airport, and observed Salgado dispose of a box in the trash of a fast food restaurant parking lot. Investigators recovered the box, observing a shipping label with Salgado’s West Virginia address as well as drug packaging material within the box. A field test of the packaging revealed the presence of cocaine.

In August 2022, investigators seized a parcel sent from California to Salgado in West Virginia. The parcel contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine. Investigators conducted a controlled delivery operation of the parcel at Salgado’s residence, executing a federal search warrant at the residence in conjunction with the operation. From Salgado’s bedroom, investigators recovered a separate parcel sent from California to Salgado containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine, along with a loaded 9mm handgun, an empty pistol magazine, a box of ammunition, and a digital scale.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Salgado.

This prosecution is part of an OCDETF investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Outcome:

Defendant was found guilty and sentenced to five years of imprisonment

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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