An Aliquippa man has been given a decade-long prison sentence for his role in a drug trafficking operation involving cocaine and fentanyl. Kijana Stephaun Lowe, 27, will also face five years of supervised release following his imprisonment, as Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV yesterday, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
Recordings from prison calls placed Lowe at the heart of the operation—a joint investigation under the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program uncovered his involvement. On these calls, Lowe is heard to order kilogram amounts of drugs from an inmate at State Correctional Institution Phoenix, which associates then delivered. This setup allowed Lowe to distribute cocaine and fentanyl within the community.
Law enforcement staged a surveillance operation in November 2021 that led to the arrest of Lowe and several co-defendants. A planned cocaine delivery to Lowe was thwarted at a Pittsburgh bus station, followed by law enforcement trailing the suspects to a Coraopolis motel. It was here that agents observed Lowe receive a suitcase filled with nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine. Additionally, agents found more than $280,000 in Lowe's vehicle, purportedly for purchasing the intercepted drugs. Search warrants issued for cell phones connected to the case provided evidence of communication and planning among the conspirators. The investigation was a collaborative effort, greatly aided by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Before his sentencing, Judge Stickman highlighted the sheer volume of substances connected to Lowe's crimes, referring to the drugs as "poison to the community." Judge Stickman then denied Lowe's request to have his federal sentence run concurrently with a parole revocation for previous drug offenses. This statement was echoed in official court transcripts provided by the Department of Justice.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kara Cotter prosecuted the case, which concluded with Lowe and his accomplices' successful sentencing.
