'Fentanyl Robbery Gang' lured people on fake dates, resulting in four deaths

Federal officials have released information about a criminal gang that used dating apps to traffic drugs and guns. The group, known as the "fentanyl robbery gang," is responsible for robberies across the states of New Hampshire to Virginia that led to four deaths.

Gerard Karam, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, said members of the gang would set up meetings that looked like "dates" or prostitute services. When they got to the victim's house, they would rob their items of value such as cell phones, guns, and credit cards. They would also use drugs mixed with fentanyl to make them unconscious. If they refused, the drugs were reportedly provided by force.

Three people were killed in Pennsylvania, and one person was killed in New Hampshire by the gang. Authorities suspect there might be more victims.

Amanda Marie Correa, 29, Robert Andrew Barnes, 24, Christine Deann DiCarlo, 50, Shaqare Jaymont Blackwell, 23, Shakur Serafin Brownstein, 27, Dylan Wilson Small, 35, and Samual Jordan, 42vhave been identified as the members. The law enforcement suspects that Correa is in charge of the group. Some members are said to have ties to gangs in New York City.

The gang operated from New Hampshire to Virginia and looked for victims on popular dating sites such as Plenty of Fish and Meet Me, according to WYOU.

"If a victim was not incapacitated, or not incapacitated quickly enough, members of the F.R.G. would instead change course and simply commit home-invasion robberies where they would be let into the victim's home by other members and associates and then steal items of value at gunpoint or through other violent means," said Karam.

The F.B.I., the U.S. Marshal's Service, and local Pennsylvania and New Hampshire authorities were involved in the investigation.

The D.E.A. said that in 2023, it had found and taken away more than 79 million fake fentanyl pills. It was 33% more than the previous year.