June 23, 2008
NEWS RELEASE

Carbon County Woman Sentenced to 76 Months in Prison for Allowing
Drug Dealers to Sell from Her Home

     Martin C. Carlson, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that a Carbon County woman was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley to serve more than six years in prison for her role in a cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking ring that operated in Carbon and Lehigh Counties during 2004 through 2005.

     Carlson stated that Melissa Karley, age 27, was sentenced after she pleaded guilty to allowing others to store and sell drugs from her residence.

     Karley pleaded guilty in March 2006. She was charged as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Karley was one of twenty people charged in the case. Seventeen defendants have entered guilty pleas to drug charges. Three of the defendants, Christopher Berry, Alan Holmes, and Juan Hiraldo, are awaiting trial.

     Judge Munley also ordered Karley to be placed on three years of supervised release after serving her prison sentence. Karley must also pay a $100 special assessment.

     Carlson noted that the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.
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