McKees Rocks rehab founder indicted on drug charges
The founder and CEO of a McKees Rocks-based rehabilitation center has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of selling drugs to the people he was supposed to treat.
David Francis, 66, of McKees Rocks is charged with conspiracy, distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
Two residents of New York City, William Rosario, 23, and Jose Ortega, 31, were charged along with Francis.
Francis was arrested in October after the Drug Enforcement Administration alleged that he possessed fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opiate, with the intent to sell it from his rehab center.
According to court documents, in July numerous overdoses as a result of heroin and fentanyl use were reported in Allegheny County and specifically in Ingram and McKees Rocks.
Police say an investigation into those overdoses led them to suspect Francis was involved and using the Next Step Foundation, located at 641 Broadway Ave., McKees Rocks, as a means of finding and selling to drug users and clients seeking treatment.
Police alleged that Francis kept large amounts of heroin and fentanyl in his McKees Rocks home. Police further allege that drug abusers used a second house on Francis' property as a place to inject the heroin Francis provided.
Francis also operates a tax service called All Personal Matters, located near the rehabilitation center, where police say he also distributed drugs.
In September, police say they encountered an unnamed person in possession of heroin who claimed the drugs came from Francis. That informant told police they bought bricks of heroin from Francis for $350.
From February 2016 to September of last year, police say they responded to 11 incidents, including overdoses, at the rehabilitation facility and tax service.
When police executed a warrant at the rehab center, they say they found counters littered with heroin “stamp” bags and three people who said they had been using drugs they got from Francis all night.
After police forced their way into Francis' home, they say they found him leaving through the second-floor bedroom, where they discovered a number of small, drug-filled bags — enough to make five bricks of fentanyl.
If convicted, Francis faces a sentence of not less than 20 years in prison and a fine of $5 million or both.
Matthew Medsger is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4675, mmedsger@tribweb.com or via Twitter @matthew_medsger.
