A New Castle, Pennsylvania resident was sentenced on Mar. 19 to 80 months in federal prison, followed by six years of supervised release, after being convicted of drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession, according to United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to address the distribution of dangerous drugs and illegal firearms in the region. The prosecution was part of a broader Homeland Security Task Force initiative aimed at dismantling criminal organizations operating within the United States.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Jauan Searcy, age 44. Searcy pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine between August 2023 and August 2024, as well as possessing a firearm following a felony conviction. According to information presented in court, Searcy was involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy based in Detroit and New Castle, retailing controlled substances locally. When arrested at his residence on August 1, 2024, agents found a shotgun next to his bed. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted the case. Rivetti commended multiple agencies for their roles in the investigation leading to Searcy’s prosecution, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Lawrence County Drug Task Force; New Castle Police Department; Michigan State Police; Pennsylvania State Police; Mercer County Drug Task Force; United States Postal Inspection Service; Department of Homeland Security; and Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office.
The prosecution falls under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is described as “a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.” The task force emphasizes interagency collaboration targeting crimes that fuel violence within U.S. borders and places special focus on cases involving child trafficking or crimes against children.
