PITTSBURGH, PA — Christopher Andrew Salgado, a 24-year-old former resident of Oxnard, California, entered a guilty plea on April 10, 2024, for his involvement in a cocaine distribution network. United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan made the announcement following Salgado’s admission of guilt before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy.
Salgado faced charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, a substance classified under Schedule II due to its high potential for abuse and limited medical use.
The case against Salgado was part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which focused on a drug trafficking organization operating between California and the Western District of Pennsylvania. From March 2022 to September 2022, the operation uncovered a scheme where cocaine was mailed in kilogram quantities from California to addresses in Pennsylvania. After an initial parcel intended for Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, was intercepted, the operation shifted, with parcels being sent to Salgado in West Virginia instead.
Using mobile and electronic surveillance, investigators tracked Salgado as he transported these parcels from West Virginia to meet co-defendant Jose Sanchez at the Pittsburgh International Airport. The duo would then deliver the cocaine to another co-defendant, Romaro Foster Sr., in Aliquippa.
A critical moment in the investigation occurred when Salgado was observed disposing of a box in a fast-food restaurant’s parking lot trash bin after driving Sanchez back to the airport. This box, which bore Salgado’s West Virginia address and contained drug packaging material, tested positive for cocaine.
Further evidence was gathered in August 2022 when investigators intercepted a parcel containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine addressed to Salgado in West Virginia. A subsequent search of Salgado’s residence yielded additional cocaine and a loaded 9mm handgun among other items associated with drug trafficking.
Judge Hardy has set the sentencing for August 14, 2024, with Salgado facing a minimum of five years to a maximum of 40 years in prison, along with the possibility of a $5 million fine. The severity of the sentence will depend on the nature of the crime and Salgado’s criminal history.
Pending his sentencing, Salgado remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna.
The successful apprehension and prosecution of Salgado were the result of collaborative efforts between the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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