Pittsburgh Cocaine Ringleader Sentenced To 30 Years
PITTSBURGH, PA. - The drug kingpin everyone called "Ali" in the Linmar section of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison last Thursday, but he's likely to get out early because of his cooperation against his underlings in the drug investigation and a related 2006 homicide.
Senior U.S. District Judge Alan Bloch Jr. imposed the sentence on Anthony A. Dorsett, 34, who pleaded guilty in 2009 to running what the judge called a "large-scale" drug ring in Linmar supplied from Detroit and other cities.
Mr. Dorsett refused comment yesterday, but he admitted in court previously that he distributed at least 60 kilograms of cocaine and 10 kilograms of crack from 2003, when he got out of the Beaver County Jail, and 2008, when he was indicted.
Court testimony earlier this week revealed that Mr. Dorsett said he had actually sold twice that amount.
He faced 30 years to life because of the quantity of drugs but Judge Bloch chose the lowest sentence. In addition to the prison term, Mr. Dorsett forfeited numerous properties bought with drug proceeds, although the judge waived an $8 million fine.
The U.S. attorney's office would not comment, nor would Mr. Dorsett's lawyer, but prosecutors are expected to file a "substantial assistance" motion asking Judge Bloch to reduce the sentence as a reward for his cooperation. Such motions are typically filed within a year of sentencing.
Mr. Dorsett, nephew of Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett, has already testified in federal court and on Tuesday fingered three imprisoned ring members for the slaying of Jordan Cain, 20, on Oct. 21, 2006.
At a preliminary hearing, Mr. Dorsett said his top lieutenant, Billy Love Dawkins Jr., Billy's brother Travon Dawkins and a third man, Rhett Spears, told him that they used an AK-47 and a 9mm pistol to spray a makeshift Gregory Street music studio with at least 30 rounds, killing Mr. Cain as he sat in a chair.
All three had previously pleaded guilty in the drug case and are now awaiting trial in the murder.
The motive for the shooting, according to testimony, was a feud between Mr. Dorsett's Linmar gang and a rival gang from nearby Griffith Heights. Mr. Cain was from Griffith Heights but was not involved in any criminal activity, police said.
The accused gunmen had been indicted three years ago long with Mr. Dorsett and nine others as part of "Operation Enough is Enough," a federal and state investigation spearheaded by TFO Michael Warfield, a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper who is assigned to a federal drug task force with the Pittsburgh District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
