Four Men Sentenced For Drug Conspiracy

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Court Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner in Harrisburg sentenced Felix Rodriguez-Pabon, age 25, Berks County, PA, to 87 months and Yefries Guillan-Herrera, age 24, Berks County, to 57 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine hydrochloride.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, eleven defendants were originally indicted by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg in July 2015 and a Superseding Information was filed in June 2016. 

The charges stem from an investigation in which the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Lebanon County intercepted packages sent from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to the United States between June and October 2014.  The packages contained kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine hydrochloride concealed inside xbox consoles and projectors. 

On September 28, 2016, Chief Judge Conner also sentenced Wilson Herrera, age 22, Berks County, to 10 years in federal prison and Wilfreddy Perez, age 24, Lebanon, to 35 months in federal prison and on August 24, 2016, Glauco Kelvin Celedonio-Smith, age 20, of Lebanon, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The remaining co-defendants are awaiting sentencing. 

"This investigation is an excellent example of how federal, state and local law enforcement were able to successfully dismantle a major narcotics smuggling organization," said Brian Michael, acting special agent in charge of HSI Philadelphia. "HSI will continue to utilize its broad authorities to aggressively target and dismantle groups that are dispensing poison within our communities."

This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the heroin initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

The investigation was conducted by HSI, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office Detective Unit and the U.S. Customs & Border Protection.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daryl F. Bloom.

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