A New Kensington resident, James Pinkston, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to drug trafficking and money laundering. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti on February 6, 2025.
Pinkston, aged 35, admitted guilt to three counts of the Second Superseding Indictment before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. The court was informed that between August 2021 and June 2023, Pinkston conspired with others in the Western District of Pennsylvania to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. He was caught on a federal wiretap obtaining drugs for distribution. Additionally, from April 2022 to March 2023, he engaged in money laundering using a payments app for drug transactions.
The indictment is part of a larger case involving 35 individuals charged by a federal grand jury in December 2023. This group is accused of participating in a violent transnational drug and money laundering operation that imported drugs from Mexico into the United States. Pinkston acted as the western Pennsylvania link to an Arizona-based organization responsible for these imports.
Judge Ranjan has set sentencing for May 28, 2025. Pinkston faces a potential sentence ranging from ten years to life imprisonment and fines up to $10 million. The actual sentence will depend on the severity of his offenses and any prior criminal history.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is handling the prosecution for the government. The investigation was conducted by several agencies including the FBI’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations, with support from the IRS Criminal Investigation unit and other local law enforcement bodies.
This case forms part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal networks through coordinated efforts among various law enforcement agencies.