Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Charges of Attempted Murder and Assault of a Federal Agent and Related Drug and Firearms Violations

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on August 20, 2026, to charges of attempted murder and assault of a federal agent, drug trafficking, and use of a firearm in connection with those crimes, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Drew Gordon, age 24, of the Overbrook section of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty to five counts before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti. “As today’s hearing makes clear, Drew Gordon is a violent and dangerous drug dealer,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “He not only placed the community at risk through his fentanyl trafficking, but he also attempted to murder a federal agent who happened to travel too close to Gordon’s drug stash. His abhorrent conduct is a reminder not only of the violence associated with drug trafficking, but also of the risks to which state, local, and federal law enforcement officers are exposed on a regular basis as they work to keep our communities safe. As a result of the quick response and thorough investigation by the FBI and numerous other law enforcement agencies, Gordon was quickly apprehended and detained before he could inflict any more harm on the community. And because of this extensive, thorough, and collaborative investigation, Gordon pleaded guilty to all charges against him, including attempted murder of a federal agent and discharging a firearm in connection with that crime.” In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that on August 30, 2024, a DEA agent was conducting surveillance in an unrelated investigation, which took the agent onto the street where the defendant lived. As the DEA agent traveled through the neighborhood in his vehicle, the defendant began to follow him in his own vehicle. Based on the defendant’s actions, the agent decided to leave the area. The defendant caught up with the agent’s vehicle and opened fire on the agent as he was leaving the area. The defendant fired a total of 18 rounds. Fortunately, the agent was not hit, although his vehicle was struck multiple times. Later that evening, the FBI executed a search warrant at the defendant’s house, and recovered over $10,000 in cash, over $37,000 worth of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine, and two guns, including the gun used in the shooting. Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for December 23, 2026 at 1:30 PM. The law provides for a total sentence of at least 20 years in prison and up to life, a fine of up to $6,000,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the Court ordered that the defendant remain detained. DEA Philadelphia Division, Special Agent in Charge Timothy S. Flaherty said, “The message here is clear; if you shoot at one of our Special Agents, we will find you, arrest you, and bring you to justice. The successful conclusion of this investigation could not have been possible without the assistance of our law enforcement partners at the FBI, the ATF, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the US Marshals Service, the PA Office of the Attorney General, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s and the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania.” “Assault on a federal officer is an assault on everyone who takes an oath to protect our communities. This kind of violence directly threatens the safety of our partners, and the FBI will be there every time with every resource possible to hold those responsible accountable for their actions,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec. “Protecting our communities is a mission shared by all law enforcement. FBI Pittsburgh is proud to ensure our local, state, and federal partners can carry out this mission safely.” Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan J. McKenna and Douglas C. Maloney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Drew Gordon, with significant assistance from and collaboration with the Allegheny County Police Department, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.