Luzerne County Man Sentenced To 20 Years’ Imprisonment For Drug Distribution Resulting In Death

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christian Barnes, age 38, of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 27, 2026, to 20 years in prison by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and death.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on November 4, 2021, Barnes sold approximately 1.3 grams of fentanyl to Jennifer Giuli, age 43, of Luzerne County.  Giuli, in turn, then sold a half gram of the fentanyl that she received from Barnes to a Kingston, Luzerne County, resident, who later died after ingesting the fentanyl.  Both Barnes and Giuli pleaded guilty to the charge of drug delivery resulting in death. On May 27, 2025, Judge Mehalchick also sentenced Jennifer Giuli to 240 months’ imprisonment. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kingston Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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