Carbon County Woman Pleads Guilty To Federal Cocaine Trafficking Charges

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Carbon County woman pleaded guilty today before Senior United States District Judge Edwin M. Kosik to the charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Bonnie Vosburgh, age 22, of Nesquehoning, Carbon County, admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and powder cocaine in the Carbon County area between January 2011 and December 2012.

     The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Nesquehoning and Lansford Police Departments in Carbon County.

     The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara.

     In this particular case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 40 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.