A West Mifflin resident has been sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for firearms and drug trafficking violations. Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced the sentencing of Giante Hilliard, aged 32, by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on January 27, 2025.
Hilliard's criminal activities were presented to the court, revealing his previous felony convictions in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. These included charges such as aggravated assault, possession of unlicensed firearms, and making terroristic threats. His recent offenses involved a gunfire exchange outside a McKees Rocks bar on March 28, 2023. Video evidence captured Hilliard firing back from a vehicle's passenger seat after another individual shot at them.
In another incident on May 8, 2023, Hilliard was seen with a firearm during a police pursuit. The driver of the vehicle he was in rammed law enforcement vehicles before abandoning it near a convenience store. Surveillance footage showed Hilliard leaving the scene with a black bag containing a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun and approximately 300 doses of heroin and fentanyl mixture. The handgun matched one used in the earlier shooting incident.
Further investigation led to an arrest warrant for Hilliard following these events. On May 31, 2023, he posted a video on social media holding another firearm. This prompted law enforcement to obtain search warrants for his hideout and vehicle. A subsequent search uncovered more controlled substances confirmed to be heroin and fentanyl mixtures and another loaded "ghost gun."
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Douglas C. Maloney. Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti praised the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with local police departments for their roles in investigating and prosecuting Hilliard successfully.