HARRISBURG– Attorney General Michelle Henry announced that Yan Carlos Pichardo Cepeda, of New York, was charged with trafficking nine kilograms of fentanyl – or 450,000 doses – among other drugs, into Pennsylvania.
Cepeda, 27, was charged with felony counts of possession with intent to deliver and related offenses.
Office of Attorney General agents and Allegheny County law enforcement officials arrested Cepeda in Pittsburgh, following a trip from New York. He was arraigned Friday.
“Thanks to strong collaboration between law enforcement agencies, an alarming amount of potentially-deadly fentanyl was taken off of Pennsylvania streets,”said Attorney General Henry. “These poisons destroy lives and devastate communities. I’m grateful for partnerships with law enforcement agencies that increase our abilities to halt trafficking operations and hold predatory dealers accountable for the role they play in fueling the opioid epidemic.”
Cepada was observed by law enforcement when he arrived in Pittsburgh with a backpack and carrying a suitcase. Police noticed he went out of his way to avoid interaction with police and K-9 Arko. When agents approached Cepeda, he consented to a search of the backpack, where agents saw a kilogram of fentanyl. Cepeda was taken into custody, and a search of his baggage uncovered the additional narcotics.
Agents from the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation worked closely with the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Narcotics Enforcement Team (DANET), Port Authority Police, Monroeville Police, and West Mifflin Police.
“This is the third major drug arrest in the past several months in downtown Pittsburgh. The task force members have also been involved in seven other meaningful drug interventions in the area. The drugs like these, being taken off the streets in Pittsburgh, are responsible for two deaths a day in Allegheny County,” Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala, Jr. said. “I’d again like to express my thanks to our partners in this most recent arrest – the Attorney General, Port Authority Police, West Mifflin Police Department and Monroeville Police Department.”
Thursday’s arrest marks another bust this year involving Attorney General agents and local law enforcement intercepting large quantities of fentanyl being trafficked from out of state into Pittsburgh.
The case will be prosecuted by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. All charges are accusations. The defendant is innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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