Five Lancaster County Residents Charged With Robbing Pharmacies In Lancaster, York And Cumberland Counties

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal grand jury in Harrisburg indicted Jeremy Joseph Morant, age 24, Bryce Chad Butson, age 19, Earl Cord Owens, Jr., age 33, Carlos Ruben Arenas, Jr., age 33, and Jessica Lynn Weir, age 33, on March 23, 2016, charging them with robbery. The indictment was unsealed today following the arrests of the defendants.  

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the indictment alleges that from December 2015 to February 2016, the defendants conspired to rob CVS and Walgreen pharmacies in Lancaster, York, and Cumberland Counties of oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manheim, Springettsbury, Hampden and Tredyffin Township Police Departments.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph J. Terz has been assigned to prosecute the case.

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 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 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 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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