12 men indicted in alleged cocaine conspiracy following 14-month probe

A federal grand jury indicted nine people, including two Westmoreland County men, on charges of conspiring to sell cocaine, authorities announced Wednesday.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Pittsburgh identified Albert Mastrippolito Jr., 59, of Claridge, Penn Township, and Craig George, 50, of Greensburg, as part of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Westmoreland County between January 2016 and November 2017, along with seven other defendants from Pittsburgh, McKees Rocks and North Versailles.

The grand jury returned the charges March 20, but the indictment was sealed until all defendants were arrested Monday. The indictment contained few details beyond the names and charges, and that the initial offenses took place in Westmoreland County.

Mastrippolito was specifically charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He pleaded not guilty was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond. His attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

George, who faces a more general charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine, also pleaded not guilty and was released on a $25,000 bond. His attorney, Stephen Begler, said his client denies any wrongdoing.

Others charged in the alleged conspiracy are:

• Thomas Poole, aka Thomas Dupree, 52, of Pittsburgh

• Cameron Mele, 42, of Pittsburgh

• Jayson Markulin, 46, of McKees Rocks

• Brian Horvath, 46, of Pittsburgh

• Anthony Monteleone, 58, of Pittsburgh

• Scott Spangler, 38, of North Versailles, and

• Richard Kosmar, 56, of Pittsburgh

“Our intense focus on fighting the opioid epidemic in no way deters our efforts to prosecute individuals and organizations trafficking in other illegal substances,” U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said in a statement announcing the indictments.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen S. Gilson is the lead prosecutor in the case.

Three other men were charged in a “separate, but related” cocaine conspiracy, Brady said:

• Diop Fitzgerald, 40, formerly of West Mifflin

• Landriff Macklin, 39, formerly of Pittsburgh, and

• James White, 45, of Duquesne

They are charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine between September 2016 and November 2017. Documents related to the case showed Fitzgerald and Macklin already were in custody when the charges were filed.

Matthew Santoni is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724 836 6660, msantoni@tribweb.com or on Twitter @msantoni.