A federal jury has convicted Laven Davis, 33, of Sharon, Pennsylvania, for distributing fentanyl that resulted in serious bodily injury and death. The verdict was delivered on October 15, 2025, after approximately five hours of deliberation, according to Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Davis was tried before Senior United States District Judge Reggie B. Walton in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Evidence presented during the six-day trial showed that Davis distributed fentanyl on or about November 28, 2022. The substance led to the serious bodily injury and death of a 43-year-old woman from Hermitage, Pennsylvania.
At the time of the offense, Davis was on state parole after being released from prison a few months earlier. He has previous felony convictions for aggravated assault, aggravated harassment by a prisoner, terroristic threats, and unlawful possession of a firearm. These convictions stemmed from separate state prosecutions over the past eight years.
Judge Walton has scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2026.
Assistant United States Attorneys V. Joseph Sonson and Craig W. Haller are handling the prosecution for this case. The investigation involved multiple agencies: the Mercer County District Attorney’s Office, Mercer County Coroner’s Office, Hermitage Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“This release was posted following the 43-day government shutdown during which the trial and verdict occurred,” noted Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
