Dismantling the Fentanyl Robbery Gang: A Coordinated Crackdown on Deadly Drug Trafficking

In a coordinated effort to combat the growing threat of fentanyl-related crimes, the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has announced the indictment of seven individuals believed to be part of a notorious criminal enterprise known as the "Fentanyl Robbery Gang" (F.R.G.). The group, with alleged ties to various New York gangs, stands accused of engaging in a complex web of drug trafficking, firearms distribution, kidnapping, and identity theft, leaving a trail of victims in their wake.

Exposing the Deadly Tactics of the Fentanyl Robbery Gang

Luring Victims through Online Platforms

The indictment reveals that the F.R.G. members allegedly used dating websites to target individuals interested in hiring prostitutes, with the intention of robbing them of valuable possessions, including firearms, cash, cellular phones, identification documents, debit and credit cards, drugs, and other valuable items. This modus operandi allowed the gang to identify and exploit vulnerable victims, setting the stage for their nefarious activities.

Administering Deadly Fentanyl Doses

According to the charges, the gang members would offer victims narcotics, often claiming they were cocaine, but in reality, the substances were laced with the highly potent and deadly opioid, fentanyl. If victims refused the drugs, the gang would forcibly or surreptitiously administer the fentanyl, incapacitating them and facilitating the theft of their belongings. In cases where victims were not incapacitated quickly enough, the gang resorted to home-invasion robberies, using threats, beatings, and aggravated assault to steal items at gunpoint.

Deadly Consequences: Fentanyl Overdoses Linked to the Gang

The superseding indictment alleges that the gang's activities have resulted in the deaths of four individuals from fentanyl overdoses. Three of these deaths occurred in Berks and Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, while the fourth took place in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This tragic loss of life underscores the devastating impact of the gang's actions and the urgent need to dismantle their criminal enterprise.

Coordinated Law Enforcement Efforts

The charges against the seven individuals named in the indictment are the result of a joint investigation by a coalition of law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, the United States Marshals Service – Scranton office, the District Attorney Offices of Pike, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wyoming, and Berks Counties in Pennsylvania, the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department, the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office, and various state and local law enforcement agencies. This collaborative approach has been crucial in unraveling the complex web of the Fentanyl Robbery Gang's activities and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Project Safe Neighborhoods: A Comprehensive Approach

The case against the Fentanyl Robbery Gang is part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a program that aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes. This holistic approach recognizes the need for a multifaceted strategy to address the root causes of such criminal enterprises and create safer neighborhoods.

Ongoing Investigation and Apprehension Efforts

The investigation into the Fentanyl Robbery Gang remains ongoing, with law enforcement actively seeking to identify and apprehend additional members and associates of the group, as well as locate more victims. The FBI has urged anyone with information about the gang's activities to come forward and contact them at 570-344-2404, underscoring the importance of public cooperation in dismantling this dangerous criminal network.

Prosecuting the Fentanyl Robbery Gang

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Todd K. Hinkley and Luisa Honora Berti, who are working tirelessly to ensure that the seven individuals named in the indictment face the full consequences of their alleged actions. The charges they face, including conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death and serious bodily injury, distributing fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, brandishing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, kidnapping, and aggravated identity theft, reflect the gravity of their alleged crimes and the determination of the justice system to hold them accountable.