The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

December 22, 2009

UPDATE: Pair admit gun, drug sale crimes

By Joe Pinchot

FARRELL — Two former Shenango Valley men pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges that they sold crack cocaine and a gun to an informant.

Robert L. �Bishop� Pegues III, 21, and Terrence H. Wells Jr., 23, also known as �Brother� and �T-Wellz,� each face at least 15 years in prison.

Pegues and Wells each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of crack, and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

As part of their plea agreements, Pegues accepted responsibility for the conduct charged in two other alleged drug distribution crimes, and Wells for two other drug distribution crimes and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. That conduct will be factored into their sentences.

The plea agreements the men signed with the U.S. Attorney�s Office, Pittsburgh, severely limit their appeal rights and bar them from filing motion to vacate sentences, but earned them three-level reductions in their offense levels for acceptance of responsibility and timely notification of their intents to plead. Prosecutors also pledged not to file informations of previous felony convictions, which could have boosted their sentences greatly.

The prosecutions of Pegues and Wells stemmed from a multi-jurisidictional investigation of drug and gun crimes in Farrell and Sharon.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy L. Johnston said an informant bought two ounces of crack from Pegues and Wells Sept. 5, 2007, at an undisclosed location for $2,000. During discussions, the informant said he was looking for �hammers,� a slang term for guns, she said. Wells showed the informant he had a Glock in his waistband and said he could get another for $250, Ms. Johnston said.

Wells is not allowed to possess a firearm because of a 2006 conviction in Mercer County of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, according to the indictment handed down Feb. 5, 2008.

The informant met with Pegues two days later, also at an undisclosed location, and said the men had shorted him on the amount of cocaine. Wells came by shortly after and he and Pegues sold to the informant an ounce of cocaine and an Interarms .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun for $1,400, Ms. Johnston said.

During discussions, Pegues showed the informant he had a .38-caliber handgun, Ms. Johnston said

The total amount of crack sold was 68.6 grams, about 2.4 ounces, she said.

Both men agreed to forfeit the guns to the government.

U.S. District Court Judge Nora Barry Fischer set sentencing for Wells for April 22, and Pegues five days later. The conspiracy charge calls for a sentence of at least 10 years, and the gun charge for at last 5 years, with the sentence consecutive to the drug charge.

Judge Fischer said she already has four letters sent on Wells� behalf.

Both men will remain in Mercer County Jail, where they await resolution of other charges.

Pegues was charged by Sharon police with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and possession of 29 rocks of crack with intent to deliver stemming from Sept. 7, 2007, when he allegedly fired three shots at a man and threw to the ground two bags containing cocaine, police said. The shooting occurred in the 500 block of New Castle Avenue, while the drugs were found in the 1100 block of Fruit Avenue, Farrell, police said.

Wells faces charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct for an incident involving his parole officer Sept. 11, 2007, in Farrell. Southwest Mercer County Regional police said the officer spotted Wells at Fruit Avenue and George Street, a �no fly zone� under the terms of Wells� parole, police said. The agent tried to talk to Wells and stepped in front of his car to try to stop him, but Wells moved the car, police said. The agent jumped on the car to avoid being hit, and Wells drove at speeds of up to 45 mph on George, Wallis Avenue and French Street, where he stopped, police said.

Cox got off the car and Wells drive off, but Wells was arrested later walking on Union Street and Darr Avenue, police said.

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