Scranton Reporter

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Amanda Marie Correa, 29, Robert Andrew Barnes, 24, Christine Deann DiCarlo, 50, Shaqare Jaymont Blackwell, 23, Shakur Serafin Brownstein, 27, Dylan Wilson Small, 35, and Samual Jordan, 42, were charged by a federal grand jury in a superseding indictment. The charges include conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death and serious bodily injury; two counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury; two counts of brandishing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; kidnapping; and aggravated identity theft.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment notes that this group of individuals has been dubbed the “Fentanyl Robbery Gang (F.R.G.),” some of whom were affiliated with New York gangs. They allegedly trafficked drugs and guns and used dating websites to connect with individuals interested in hiring prostitutes. Members and associates of the F.R.G. would arrange to come to the victim’s location with the intent to rob them of firearms, cash, cellular telephones, identification documents, debit and credit cards, drugs, and other items of value.

The victims would be offered narcotics (usually purported cocaine), though unbeknownst to them, the narcotics contained fentanyl. If the victim refused the drugs or was not incapacitated quickly enough after consuming them involuntarily administered by members or associates of F.R.G., they would commit home-invasion robberies where they would steal items at gunpoint or through other violent means.

The superseding indictment alleges that four individuals have died as a result of overdosing on fentanyl—three deaths occurred in Berks and Luzerne County in Pennsylvania and one death in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. All seven individuals named in the superseding indictment are currently in custody. This is an ongoing investigation as law enforcement attempts to identify additional members and associates of F.R.G., as well as locate more victims. Victims or those with information concerning F.R.G. are urged to contact the FBI at 570-344-2404.

The charges resulted from a joint investigation by multiple agencies including the FBI; Pennsylvania State Police; United States Marshals Service – Scranton office; District Attorney Offices across several counties in Pennsylvania; Portsmouth Police Department; New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; among others. Assistant United States Attorneys Todd K. Hinkley and Luisa Honora Berti are prosecuting this case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence while fostering trust within communities through strategic enforcement priorities.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed innocent unless found guilty in court.

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