$5,000 reward offered for New York man accused of trafficking $1.6M in fentanyl to Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Authorities are offering a large monetary reward for the arrest of a New York man accused of trafficking $1.6 million worth of fentanyl to Pittsburgh.
Allegheny County sheriff's deputies are searching for Yan Carlos Pichardo-Cepeda.
When agents approached him on Aug. 31 after he arrived in Pittsburgh from New York, authorities searched his backpack and found a kilogram of fentanyl. A search of his bags turned up 9 kilograms of fentanyl, or about 450,000 doses, the attorney general's office said.
On Wednesday, the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office announced that a $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest. He is a wanted man after already missing two court appearances.
District Justice Xander Orenstein released the suspect on a non-monetary bond but asked for electronic home monitoring. The jail called the next day, asking the presiding Judge Gene Ricciardi about Cepeda's ankle monitoring condition. KDKA-TV learned Judge Ricciardi made the decision to remove the condition of his ankle monitor without reading Cepeda's criminal complaint.
Orenstein is still on the bench and has denied KDKA-TV's requests for comment.
Pichardo-Cepeda is 6-foot-1, 250 pounds, and is known as Yanky, officials said. Anyone with information can call Det. Walsh at 412-522-0822 or Det. Bell at 412-559-2725.
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said the drug bust was the third major drug bust in the past several months in Downtown Pittsburgh.