Former Greensburg police chief pleads guilty to federal drug conspiracy charges
GREENSBURG (KDKA) - Former Greensburg Police Chief Shawn Denning pled guilty in federal court to drug conspiracy.
As part of his guilty plea, Denning admitted that while he was serving as captain and chief of the department, he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, and Oklahoma.
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Denning also admitted to conspiring with former officer Regina McAtee.
She is expected to plead guilty next month.
Denning was brought up on federal charges early last year and had been having conversations with a confidential informant who was with the DEA investigating the drug distribution.
Denning would facilitate getting drugs and connect the informant with them for distribution over a 16-month period. Authorities say some drugs were sourced in California and Arizona and then delivered to the informant through the mail.
The two had communicated via an app called Wickr and he would tell the informant the app was "encrypted" and "safe for both of us."
Denning was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of cocaine, two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine, one count of aiding and abetting the attempted distribution of methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute drugs.