Two Charged With Drug Trafficking Offenses

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that the Grand Jury in Scranton returned Indictments on January 21, 2014 charging Rasheen Smith, age 25, of Endicott, New York, and Tasmiyah Sharif, age 23, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, separately with conspiring to distribution of cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana.  The Indictments also charged the each defendant with distributing controlled substances in Luzerne County during 2012 and 2013.   

     Prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus.

     Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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

     In this particular case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is forty 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.