PITTSBURGH, Pa. — A former police officer for Greensburg pleaded guilty in federal court to engaging in a drug conspiracy, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced on Tuesday.
Regina McAtee, 51, of New Kensington pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
As part of her guilty plea, McAtee admitted that she conspired to distribute methamphetamine (in the form of fake “Adderall” pills) with former Greensburg Chief of Police Shawn Denning and other drug suppliers. McAtee admitted that she and Denning would order the pills from online suppliers, that McAtee would pay for the pills, and that the pills would be delivered to McAtee’s residence. McAtee sold some of the pills back to Denning, who would then distribute the drugs to others. Denning pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge on April 16, 2024, also before Judge Bissoon.
“As a sworn police officer, Regina McAtee’s job was to stop drug dealing,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “Instead, she worked with her boss at the time, Shawn Denning, to push more methamphetamine out into the community. Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute drug dealing, regardless of whether it’s being committed by citizens on the street or those who wear a badge.”
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for August 22, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
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.
