Monroe County Man Sentenced To Prison For

Federal Cocaine Trafficking Charges

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Monroe County man was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Edwin M. Kosik to serve 24 months in prison on the charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Lenix Gutierrez-Esquea, age 31, formerly of Stroudsburg, Monroe County, previously admitted to participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy which obtained cocaine in Texas and distributed the cocaine in the Monroe County and Northampton County areas in 2011.

     Gutierrez-Esquea also faces deportation proceedings.

     In addition to the prison term, Senior Judge Kosik also ordered that Gutierrez-Esquea be supervised by a probation officer for three years following his prison sentence if he is not deported.

     Previously, Dickson Gutierrez, age 37, and Jhonathan Gutierrez-Esquea, age 33, both formerly of Stroudsburg, were sentenced to 60 months in prison for participating in the same cocaine-trafficking conspiracy.  As part of his plea agreement, Dickson Gutierrez also agreed to forfeit to the United States two properties in the Dominican Republic which were purchased with the proceeds of cocaine trafficking activity.

     The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Stroud Area Regional Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations.

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