Crime
Several arrested after 50+ victims from Pennsylvania, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia allegedly drugged and robbed
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has announced 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 which includes 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 that law enforcement has dubbed the “Fentanyl Robbery Gang (F.R.G.),” some of whom were affiliated with New York gangs, trafficked drugs and guns. Additionally, they 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 the victim of firearms, cash, cellular telephones, identification documents, debit and credit cards, drugs, and other items of value.
The victim would be offered narcotics (usually purported cocaine), though unbeknownst to the victim, the narcotics contained fentanyl. If the victim refused the drugs, members of and associates of the F.R.G. would administer fentanyl-laced narcotics to the victim by forcibly or surreptitiously introducing it into the victim’s body. This was done to incapacitate victims as to steal firearms, cash, cellular telephones, identification documents, debit and credit cards, drugs, and other items of value. If a victim was not incapacitated, or not incapacitated quickly enough, members of the F.R.G. would instead change course and simply commit home-invasion robberies where they would be let into the victim’s home by other members and associates and then steal items of value at gunpoint or through other violent means, including threats, beatings, and aggravated assault.
The superseding indictment alleges that four individuals have died as the result of overdosing on fentanyl. Three deaths occurred in Berks and Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and one death in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The seven individuals named in the superseding indictment are all in custody. This is an on-going investigation and law enforcement are attempting to identify and arrest additional members and associates of F.R.G. and to identify and locate victims. Victims and others who may have information concerning F.R.G. are requested to contact the FBI at 570-344-2404.
According to Fox56, over 50 more potential crime scenes are being investigated. Over 50 victims have been identified from Pennsylvania, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Virginia
The charges were the result of a joint investigation by the FBI; Pennsylvania State Police, the United States Marshals Service – Scranton office; the District Attorney Offices of Pike, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wyoming, and Berks Counties in Pennsylvania; the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department, and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; and various state and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Todd K. Hinkley and Luisa Honora Berti are prosecuting the case.
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Sherre Thetonia
July 15, 2024 at 5:10 pm
Wow! Job well done they should be prosecuted to the fullest of law whatever the law requires great job
Sonja
July 15, 2024 at 7:37 pm
Drug dealers are ruthless.
Bridget
July 15, 2024 at 8:14 pm
Fire them in court and make them spend the rest of their worthless lives vhind bars.
Floyd
July 15, 2024 at 8:58 pm
If prostitution were legalized this would be a very unlikely occurrence
Robert Walker
July 15, 2024 at 11:44 pm
They used dating sites !
James
July 16, 2024 at 9:38 am
People use dating sites to find prostitutes.
Bill Hommel
July 15, 2024 at 9:25 pm
Amazing work people!🙌
I had something slipped into a drink a long time ago without realizing it and apparently it caused me to feel wrong enough to get out of the place and head towards my vehicle I woke up the next morning half in & half out the driver’s side door with my pockets turned inside out and the car tossed. I was really upset because I had almost $2,000 in cash on me at the time. Not finding any money after looking everywhere I had to borrow $800 to finish a job for a client and then work really hard and fast to make the additional money to pay off my debt. Three months later I got a flat tire. Guess what I discovered up the spare tire in the trunk of my car? The $2,000 dollars.
I must’ve realized what was happening and hid the money under the spare tire before passing out. I only remember going into the bar and then waking up the next morning nothing in between. Thank goodness I didn’t get on the road because I could’ve been killed or killed others and everyone might’ve figured I was just driving drunk or under the influence of drugs. Scary stuff. Never went to a bar alone or without knowing someone there who was working there or would be leaving when I was again in my lifetime. It’s been 49 years since that happened to me it’s easy to be wronged by bad people especially these days BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS & TRUST NO ONE! ESPECIALLY YOU WOMEN OUT THERE IT’S DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE🙏🙏🙏
Shelly Harrison
July 18, 2024 at 5:40 pm
That happened to me in Vegas I’d just moved there and some guys slipped something in my drink I started feeling weird after a couple of sips. I got up went for the door holding on the walls they started following me as soon as I opened the door I vomited profusely and tried getting to my car which I did n locked it duck down and continued vomiting then drove 2 blocks home where I beeped for help my older children came out n helped me in and all night I was in & out & realized I had been drugged badly. I heard from locals they do that horrible at that bar and then woman disappeared from there to be brought to a sex trafficking ring it was scary n needless to say I never went out alone again in Vegas n ended up moving back to my home town!
Ghost
July 15, 2024 at 10:28 pm
They not drug dealers they are thieves drug dealers about the money
Bruno
July 15, 2024 at 10:36 pm
I concur as bad as it sounds making prostitution legal would make it easier for people who do this for a living on their medical supervision and with a license unemployment would go down lol
Bill
July 15, 2024 at 10:37 pm
Death Penalty for all of those persons arrested!!!
Not telling
July 16, 2024 at 3:11 am
I also say set an example death penalty this is very violent serous and nasty. How many people got in a car and died in a result to this and just been ruled as drunk driving.
Bennie Bowie
July 16, 2024 at 5:39 am
Good awsome job to the men and woman in law enforcement , keeping Americans safe and putting their own lives at risks, thanks so much,
Stacey
July 16, 2024 at 7:05 am
Wow, this is insane. Great job. I am so glad that they were caught. I don’t or should I say, I no longer go on daring websites. This type of people are always coming up with new ways to harm and take advantage of another individual. It’s sad
Franko K
July 16, 2024 at 8:17 am
Are they all US citizens? That is a big question these days with 11 million more illegals under joe including a couple million got a ways
Robert s
July 16, 2024 at 9:45 am
Yeah
President Biden is the problem for all the ills of this country
Never mind all the successes
They are his illegals
Right?
J.B.
July 16, 2024 at 9:27 am
They should make a public service announcement:
“Beware hooking up with strangers you meet on an online app as there are many bad people out there using these apps to gain entrance to your home to steal your identity and in many cases kill you”
Jason Santos
July 16, 2024 at 10:11 am
They do.
Lol
Geico Ins
July 16, 2024 at 11:39 am
Feed them their products
Mikkara
July 16, 2024 at 10:36 pm
This is Biden’s America created by a Kenyan who became president. The Dems work is not done…..there are many areas to destroy ahead of them until they can claim their New World Order is complete. Unfortunately, there is a blockage they need to get around….Pres. Trump. For my grandchildren sake, I hope Trump is elected and turns things around.
Kathy Doyle
July 22, 2024 at 12:03 pm
Mikkara, your head’s not on straight as you’ve been given incorrect information and don’t understand what the meaning of democracy is. Do you even know what the basis of our country was based upon? Do you know what the constitution even means?