Luzerne County Man Indicted On Drug Delivery Resulting In Death Charge

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 25, 2022, James Rushton, age 31, of Wapwallopen, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of drug delivery resulting in death. 

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on October 27, 2021, Rushton distributed fentanyl to an individual in Luzerne County and the use of that fentanyl resulted in the individual’s death.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Kingston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

This case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

If convicted, Rushton faces a maximum penalty under federal law for this offense of life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  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.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

# # #