Convicted child predator sentenced to additional 15 years for drug, firearms crimes

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Arnold and Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, was ordered to 15 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release today for violating federal narcotics, firearms and money laundering laws. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the multi-agency investigation that resulted in the conviction.

Omali McKay, 29, a citizen of Trinidad lawfully residing in the United States is now serving 15 to 30 years in West Moreland County, Pennsylvania, for sexually assaulting a child. He also pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiring with others from 2006 to 2012, to distribute five to 15 kilograms of cocaine and 280 to 840 grams of crack cocaine.

It was ordered that 10 years of the 180 month federal sentence must be served consecutively to McKay’s sentence in Westmoreland County while the remaining 60 months of the sentence would run concurrently. 

McKay obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine from out-of-state sources and then cooked much of that cocaine into crack. He then sold cocaine and crack in small quantities to street-level distributors and drug users to maximize his profits.

Also, McKay admitted possessing with intent to distribute one kilogram of cocaine seized from his Lower Burrell residence on Aug. 25, 2012, while simultaneously possessing an assault rifle in furtherance of the drug crime.

Search warrants were conducted Aug. 25, 2012, at both of McKay's residences. In the master bedroom closet of the Lower Burrell residence, agents discovered more than one kilogram of cocaine, an assault rifle, approximately 3,000 rounds of ammunition, two ballistic vests and $272,000 in cash hidden in a bag containing McKay's identification cards.  A 2004 Mercedes Benz and a 2004 Lexus were also seized.

McKay admitted to conspiring with three others to launder his drug trafficking proceeds. He used those laundered funds to purchase the Lower Burrell residence for $243,000 in cash in August 2011.

Between May and July 2011, he repeatedly provided sums of cash to three people who then deposited it into their respective bank accounts and wrote checks back to McKay. Some of checks were written to make them appear to be payments for services rendered from McKay's non-existent lawn care business. In total, $243,500 was laundered in this manner in a little more than a month and a half.

The Mercedes Benz, the Lexus, the $272,000 in cash, and the Lower Burrell residence will be forfeited since they were proceeds of McKay’s drug trafficking.

As a result of this investigation and his arrest and incarceration, a witness contacted the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) about McKay’s involvement in the sexual assault of a minor child. The PSP investigated the allegations that led to McKay’s June 2014 conviction of the charges in state court where he was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in state prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles A. Eberle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the federal government.

HSI worked on this case with the Pennsylvania State Police, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Lower Burrell Police Department.