Former Greensburg Police Chief Heading To Prison

The former police chief of Greensburg was sentenced earlier this month to fifteen months in federal prison for narcotics charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced on Friday.  United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Shawn Denning, 44, of Delmont.  Denning pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to distribute fifty grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine.  According to information presented to the court during the time that he was the Greensburg police chief, Denning was involved in a nationwide drug conspiracy and had helped numerous individuals purchase narcotics from suppliers in California. Those narcotics included cocaine and methamphetamine disguised as counterfeit Adderall pills. One of the individuals with whom Denning conspired was former Greensburg police officer Regina McAtee, who also pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and will be sentenced later this month.  Despite Denning’s argument during the sentencing hearing that he should not serve any time in prison, Judge Bissoon sentenced Denning to 15 months in federal prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, and a $2,000 fine. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that “When law enforcement becomes the bad guys, our civil society cannot function.”