Final Defendant in Skipworth Drug Trafficking Gang in Philadelphia and its Surrounding Suburbs Sentenced to 15 Years

 PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Rahim Amin, 36, of Philadelphia, PA was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney for his role in a large scale drug trafficking ring.

The defendant pleaded guilty in November 2019 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Amin was a member of the “Skipworth” drug trafficking organization, which sold bulk quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other deadly drugs in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. Following a lengthy investigation, including a series of court-ordered wiretaps, the defendant and his co-conspirators were indicted by a federal grand jury. 

Amin’s co-conspirators, Damir Skipworth (the gang’s namesake), Jarrett Cobb, and Tyrone Smith all previously pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in this case and received significant prison sentences: Skipworth more than eight years, Cobb more than five years, and Smith more than three years. A fourth co-defendant, Vontez Scales, was convicted at trial of possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute narcotics and was sentenced to over 26 years.

“By pumping millions of dollars worth of meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl into our region, the Skipworth drug trafficking organization was a menace to Philadelphia and its suburbs,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “With Amin’s sentence, all of the defendants in this case have now received substantial periods of incarceration. Nobody should have to endure living in a neighborhood where drug dealers and thugs act like they’re in charge. My Office, together with our law enforcement partners, must be relentless in attacking and destroying these drug gangs, along with the violence that often comes with them.”

“The dismantling of the Skipworth DTO by federal law enforcement officers and the Bucks County Drug Strike Force is a great testament to the force multiplier effect that we achieve when we all work together to make our community safer.  No egos; just a great collaborative effort by all involved for justice and public safety,” said Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub.

The case was investigated by the Bucks County Detective Bureau and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Parisi and Andrea Foulkes.