A former Pittsburgh resident has been handed a 34-year prison sentence for his role in a large-scale fentanyl trafficking operation and related money laundering activities, as announced by United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan. Paris Carter, aged 35, received the sentence after a federal jury found him guilty of conspiracy to distribute significant amounts of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
During the trial, evidence showed that Carter orchestrated the illegal importation of multiple kilograms of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl from China to the Pittsburgh area between January 2017 and February 2018. Subsequently, he arranged distribution in the local area, leveraging the ill-gotten gains to maintain a lavish lifestyle in Beverly Hills, which included leasing two Bentleys and a Mercedes Benz and renting upscale homes.
In a statement detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney Olshan emphasized that Carter's days of luxury have ceased, remarking, "Today, a federal judge imposed a 34-year prison sentence, an appropriate punishment for a defendant who flooded the Pittsburgh area with kilogram quantities of Chinese-sourced fentanyl." The sentence reflects the deadly impact of Carter's drug distribution network and serves as a severe warning to anyone contemplating involvement in synthetic opioid trafficking.
Before sentencing, United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan took note of the gravity of Carter's actions and concluded that his 34-year sentence should reflect both his criminal conduct and its flagrancy. In 2011, Carter had already faced prison time for a serious drug felony in the Western District of Pennsylvania, serving 37 months for possession with the intent to distribute heroin. The Assistant United States attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted the case. The successful prosecution resulted from a coordinated effort involving the United States Postal Inspection Service and various other federal and state law enforcement agencies as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation.
