A 30-year-old New Castle man pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, admitting his role in a drug operation that stretched across Farrell, Youngstown and New Castle. Khalis Collins entered his plea before U.S. Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand in the U.S. Western District Court of Pennsylvania, admitting to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine as well as conspiring to distribute cocaine.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Collins pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine from August 2025 to April 2026, and to conspiring to distribute cocaine on April 1, 2026. Collins faces a potential prison sentence of up to 40 years and a fine of up to $2 million, with sentencing scheduled for February 18, 2027. He was one of three men indicted earlier this year on drug charges.
A Grand Jury Indictment Spanning Two States
A federal grand jury indicted Collins along with Khamray Bonner, 33, and Robert Shannonhouse, 55, on March 24, charging the three men with conspiring to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams of cocaine, according to WKBN. Bonner and Shannonhouse's cases remain pending.
An affidavit described Bonner as a prominent drug trafficker in Mercer and Lawrence counties and in Youngstown, Ohio, for several years, per the station's report. Investigators say Bonner led the drug ring that sold fentanyl and cocaine between August 2025 and March 2026, with Collins and Shannonhouse selling fentanyl and cocaine supplied by Bonner to both Bonner's customers and their own. All three men had served prison sentences and were released in 2025, according to the investigator affidavit.
Houses Used to Stash and Move Drugs
The men allegedly used a home on Union Street in Farrell and a residence on the double-digit block of East Ravenwood Avenue in Youngstown to help store and sell drugs, the affidavit states. Some of those drugs were supplied by sources in Cleveland, per the same account. Collins himself picked up suspected drug packages from the porch of the Union Street home in Farrell on two occasions, once in December and once on New Year's Day.
Collins was arrested April 1 on Liberty Street in New Castle after arresting agents saw him make a drug transaction, the affidavit notes. When agents tried to arrest him, Collins went inside a nearby home and locked the door. Agents had to force their way inside and found Collins there.
Drugs Found Hidden in a Toilet
Once inside the home, agents found a bag of drugs in the toilet of a bathroom, according to the affidavit cited by the station. Collins also had two phones on him at the time of his arrest. Collins pleaded guilty Wednesday, as reported by WKBN.com.
With Collins's plea entered, attention now turns to the pending cases against Bonner and Shannonhouse, both still working through the federal court system. Collins's sentencing is set for February 18, 2027, when a judge will determine how much of that maximum 40-year exposure he will actually face.
