PHILADELPHIA, PA — Six people have been charged in federal court in connection with an alleged scheme to destroy or remove evidence from a pickup truck impounded at a Pennsylvania State Police lot, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
United States Attorney David Metcalf said the charges stem from a second superseding indictment unsealed in August 2025. Authorities stated the final defendant, Lamont Sparrow, 38, of Philadelphia, was taken into custody last week by the U.S. Marshals Service and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lynne A. Sitarski.
According to the indictment, Tyree Goldsmith, 38; Kyle Smith, 41; Sparrow; Latonya Upchurch, 57; Taleah Goldsmith, 39; all of Philadelphia; and Shafiq Taylor, 30, of Glenolden, are each charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of tampering with objects or proceedings and one count of destruction or removal of property to prevent search or seizure.
Prosecutors allege that Tyree Goldsmith, Smith, Sparrow and Taylor are also charged with malicious damage by means of fire to a vehicle used in interstate commerce. In addition, authorities said Tyree Goldsmith, Taleah Goldsmith and Upchurch face wire fraud charges, and Tyree Goldsmith is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and use of fire to commit a felony.
The indictment alleges the conspiracy began after a traffic stop at approximately 3:29 a.m. April 27, 2024, when Pennsylvania State Police troopers stopped Tyree Goldsmith while he was driving a Ford F-450 in Philadelphia. According to court documents, troopers observed marijuana and a scale in plain view and informed Goldsmith the vehicle would be towed and impounded pending a search warrant.
Authorities said troopers later executed a search warrant and recovered a loaded .40-caliber Glock pistol, nine bags of marijuana, a digital scale and $865 in cash from the truck.
Between April 27 and April 29, 2024, the indictment alleges the defendants conspired to enter the PSP Philadelphia Barracks impound lot to remove the firearm, drugs and other items from the vehicle. Prosecutors allege the plan was carried out at the direction of Tyree Goldsmith, who was on federal supervision and state parole and sought to avoid additional charges.
According to the indictment, after allegedly discovering the items had already been removed from the truck, the defendants set fire to the vehicle on April 29, 2024, believing its destruction would prevent authorities from using the recovered evidence.
Prosecutors further allege Tyree Goldsmith purchased an insurance policy before the fire and later directed Upchurch and Taleah Goldsmith to file a fraudulent insurance claim.
The case is scheduled for trial in October. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
All suspects, arrestees, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.