PITTSBURGH, PA. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Western), published as received.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced on July 31, 2024, to 210 months of incarceration on his conviction for a series of pharmacy robberies throughout Western Pennsylvania and distribution of the narcotics from those robberies, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
In March, following a four-day trial before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab, a Pittsburgh jury found Abdulrahman Abdelaziz Jamea, 26, guilty of seven crimes: one count each of conspiracy to commit armed pharmacy robbery and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, three counts of armed pharmacy robbery, and two counts of pharmacy robbery.
Evidence introduced during the trial established that Jamea participated in a conspiracy to rob pharmacies of Schedule II controlled substances—that is, highly addictive opioids and stimulants—between September 2018 and July 2019. This conspiracy included the robberies of pharmacies in Beaver, Bridgeville, Edinboro, Erie, and the Oakland area of Pittsburgh. During three of the robberies, Jamea and his co-conspirators brandished a firearm to threaten the lives of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and to intimidate them into opening the locked safes where the controlled substances were kept. Evidence also established that Jamea returned to the Columbus area to sell these stolen drugs to both prescription drug abusers and other traffickers.
“Jamea’s armed robbery spree across western Pennsylvania risked the lives of pharmacy employees and ordinary civilians who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time—all so he and his co-conspirators could steal dangerous drugs and later sell them on the street,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “This sentencing reflects both the serious and violent nature of these robberies, which have no place in this district or anywhere. Our office is grateful as always for the exceptional work of our law enforcement partners and for the resolve of the victims during the course of this important prosecution.”
In imposing sentence, Judge Schwab specifically noted Jamea’s use of a silver handgun to threaten employees at a pharmacy in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, while a co-conspirator stole thousands of Schedule II controlled substances such as opioids and amphetamines from the store’s safe.
Jamea is currently serving a separate sentence of more than 40 years following a conviction in Ohio for eight counts of felonious assault with a firearm. Judge Schwab ordered that the 210-month sentence in this case be served consecutively to Jamea’s term of imprisonment in Ohio.
Assistant United States Attorneys Barbara K. Doolittle and Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Erie Police Department, Edinboro Police Department, Beaver Police Department, Bridgeville Police Department, and Ohio Highway Patrol for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jamea.
