Former New Jersey Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics Charges in Pittsburgh

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PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Ryan Mendoza, a 31-year-old former resident of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2024, in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, announced United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan.

Mendoza entered his guilty plea before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab, admitting to one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl.

According to the court, on February 25, 2021, members of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police recovered over 6,400 stamp bags containing the drug mixture from a hotel room in Pittsburgh. Mendoza had rented the room the previous night and later admitted to possessing the recovered drugs.

Judge Schwab has scheduled Mendoza's sentencing for October 29, 2024. Mendoza faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. The actual sentence will be determined based on the seriousness of the offense and Mendoza's prior criminal history, if any, as per the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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