Dating websites allegedly used to lure victims into deadly trap

Scranton, Pa. — A gang of drug dealers and thieves used dating websites to lure victims into a trap that resulted in victims being drugged, beaten, and robbed, according to the attorney general's office.

In four instances, victims who were drugged died as a result of an overdose, said Gerard Karam of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

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 indicted and charged by a federal grand jury for 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.

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, cell phones, 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 indictment alleges that four individuals have died as the result of overdosing on fentanyl. Three deaths occurred in Berks and Luzerne counties, Pennsylvania and one death in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The seven individuals named in the indictment are all in custody.

This is an ongoing 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.