Harrisburg Man Indicted On Federal Firearm And Drug Trafficking Charges

HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Michael Depugh-King, age 20, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on December 7, 2016, by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg, on drug trafficking and firearms charges.

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Depugh-King distributed synthetic marijuana on August 30, 2016, in Harrisburg.  The indictment also alleges that Depugh-King possessed a loaded Kel-Tec .9mm semi-automatic handgun during and in relation to his drug trafficking activities.

The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) and the Harrisburg Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William A. Behe

This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.

Indictments 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 for the drug trafficking offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty under federal law for the firearm offense is life imprisonment including a mandatory 5-year term of 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.

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