DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. — Anthony Vetri, 30 of Essington and Michael Vandergrift, 31 of Chester were found guilty by a federal jury of three men and nine women of murder through the use of a firearm and conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.
The trial of Vetri and Vandergrift was held from November 29, 2017, through December 7, 2017, before the Honorable Gerald J. Pappert.
Vetri and Vandergrift were convicted of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone from 2008 until June 4, 2013.
During the conspiracy, Vetri obtained large sums of oxycodone from a registered pharmacist, Mitesh Patel, who owned and operated three pharmacies in the greater Philadelphia area. Vetri then supplied Vandergrift with oxycodone and both distributed the drugs throughout Delaware and Philadelphia Counties.
During the drug conspiracy, Patel also illegally provided oxycodone to others, including his business partner, Gbolahan Olabode. Beginning in the fall of 2011, Vetri and Vandergrift conspired to eliminate Olabode as a recipient of Patel’s illegally distributed oxycodone in order to increase the volume of oxycodone that they could receive from Patel.
Vetri and Vandergrift ultimately decided to murder Olabode. Vandergrift recruited Michael Mangold and Allen Carter to assist in the murder.
On January 4, 2012, Vandergrift, Mangold, and Carter went to Olabode’s residence in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania and waited for Olabode to return home. When Olabode returned, Vandergrift and Mangold each used a firearm to fire 27 shots at Olabode as he walked to his home. Olabode was struck approximately 13 times in his head and body. He died from the gunshot wounds. Following Olabode’s murder Vetri continued to illegally distribute oxycodone that he obtained from Patel.
Mitesh Patel, Michael Mangold, and Allen Carter all previously pled guilty to charges for their respective involvement in drug distribution, the murder of Olabode and other offenses, and are currently awaiting sentencing.
Anthony Vetri and Michael Vandergrift each face a sentence of up to life imprisonment. Both defendants are in custody awaiting sentencing.
Sentencing is scheduled for Anthony Vetri on March 20, 2017, and for Michael Vandergrift on March 21, 2017. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan B. Ortiz and David. E. Troyer.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Lansdowne Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives