The former police chief of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Shawn Denning, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for narcotics-related charges. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Denning, aged 44 and residing in Delmont, Pennsylvania, had earlier entered a guilty plea on April 16, 2024. The charges pertained to his involvement in conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, as well as a quantity of cocaine.
The court was informed that Denning, while serving as the Greensburg police chief, participated in a nationwide drug conspiracy, facilitating narcotics purchases from suppliers based in California. The drugs in question were cocaine and methamphetamine, some of which were masked as counterfeit Adderall pills. Former Greensburg police officer Regina McAtee was also implicated and pleaded guilty. Her sentencing is expected to occur later this month.
Despite Denning’s plea for no jail time during the hearing, Judge Bissoon imposed a 15-month prison sentence, followed by two years of supervised release and a $2,000 fine. In her remarks, Judge Bissoon emphasized, “When law enforcement becomes the bad guys, our civil society cannot function.”
Nicole Vasquez Schmitt, Assistant United States Attorney, prosecuted the case. Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti praised the collaborative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, which contributed to the successful prosecution of Denning.
The case was pursued under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation program. The OCDETF initiative is designed to target high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and related criminal enterprises through coordinated efforts of various law enforcement agencies.