Two Federal Prison Inmates Charged with Possessing and Attempting to Possess Controlled Substances

Two Federal Prison Inmates Charged with Possessing and Attempting to Possess Controlled Substances
FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen at the United States Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C.

PITTSBURGH – Ross Landfried and David Curran were indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for prison contraband crimes, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

The Indictment charges Landfried, age 40, formerly of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, and Curran, age 39, formerly of Pittsburgh, with possessing and attempting to obtain contraband while in federal prison between July 2017 and January 2019. The Indictment states that the contraband was a Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substance.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Under States Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Crimoinal Investigation, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.