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Press Release

Luzerne County Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Heroin Trafficking Offense

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Luzerne County man pleaded guilty today in Scranton before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to a federal heroin trafficking charge. 

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Pedro Noriega, age 42, of Plymouth, Luzerne County, admitted to the charge of possession with intent to distribute heroin.  Noriega was indicted by a grand jury in August 2015.

The charge stems from an investigation in which investigators arranged to make a purchase of heroin from Noriega and then obtained a search warrant for Noriega’s residence, located on West Main Street in Plymouth, and seized approximately 495 bags of suspected heroin, a quantity of raw heroin, packaging materials and drug paraphernalia from a bedroom in the residence. 

The investigation was conducted by the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Narcotics Investigations (BNI) of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law is up to twenty years in prison, 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.

 

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Updated November 23, 2015

Topic
Drug Trafficking