Inmate Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Activity at Cambria County Prison

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal racketeering laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Blake Young, 36, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines on February 2, 2026.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around July 2023 to in and around December 2023, while incarcerated at the Cambria County Prison, Young conducted and participated in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity. Specifically, Young bribed correctional officers and medical staff to smuggle contraband into the prison, namely cell phones, K2, and Suboxone, which were then sold to other inmates for a substantial profit.

Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Special Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney's Office, and the Cambria County Prison conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Young.