Greensburg Police Chief Shawn Denning Charged with Federal Drug Crimes

PITTSBURGH – Shawn Denning, the Chief of the Greensburg (Pennsylvania) Police Department, has been arrested and charged with violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced.

The six-count Criminal Complaint charging Denning, age 41, of Delmont, Pennsylvania, was unsealed yesterday in federal court in Pittsburgh. Denning was arrested Wednesday morning at the Greensburg Police Department and made an initial appearance by video before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maureen P. Kelly. Judge Kelly released the defendant on a $250,000 unsecured bond.

According to the Criminal Complaint, Denning is charged with:
• Count One: Aiding and abetting the distribution of a quantity of cocaine in and around November 2021;
• Count Two: Aiding and abetting the distribution of a quantity of cocaine in and around February 2022;
• Count Three: Aiding and abetting the distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine in and around January 2022 through February 2022;
• Count Four: Aiding and abetting the distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine in and around May 2022;
• Count Five: Aiding and abetting the attempted distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in and around July 2022; and
• Count Six: Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute quantities of Schedule II controlled substances (methamphetamine and cocaine), in and around June 2021 through October 2022.

The complaint alleges that Denning facilitated the acquisition of cocaine and methamphetamine by Confidential Source 1 (CS1) multiple times over a 16-month period between June 2021 and October 2022. The drugs were sourced in California and Arizona, then delivered to CS1 via the United States mail.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.