Leader Of Heroin Trafficking Ring Sentenced to More than 9 Years in Federal Prison

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 114 months’ imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed the sentence on Martise Smith, age 30.

According to information presented to the court, Smith conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute heroin from June of 2019 through December of 2019. In 2019 the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a heroin trafficking organization operating throughout the greater Pittsburgh area of which Smith was the leader. Beginning in July of 2019 and continuing through August of 2019, the FBI initiated a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Smith was intercepted communicating with his codefendant about selling heroin, acquiring quantities of heroin, prices of heroin, and the purity of the heroin. Through extensive physical and electronic surveillance, Smith was observed meeting with his codefendant to conduct heroin transactions. Judge Stickman referenced the seriousness of the offense as well as Smith’s criminal history.

Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Office of the Attorney General, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the North Versailles Police Department, the Allegheny County Port Authority Police Department, the Munhall Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Smith.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.