The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that a federal grand jury has returned a nine-count indictment charging two suspects with participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that allegedly operated in the Schuylkill County area and elsewhere since January 2010.

      According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Scott Murphy, age 33, of Auburn, Pennsylvania, and Clayton Pepe, age 23, of Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, are charged with conspiring with each other and others to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, and Percocet. The grand jury also charged both defendants with multiple counts of using a telephone to facilitate the drug conspiracy.

     The charges stem from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office.

     U.S. Attorney Smith noted that each of the defendants faces a mandatory five-year prison sentence and a potential maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million if convicted of the conspiracy charge. Each count of using a telephone to facilitate the conspiracy is punishable by up to four years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

     Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.

An indictment and criminal information is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the United States Attorney against a defendant. A charged defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the United States has proved the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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