Luzerne County Man Sentenced To Over Eight Years In Prison For His Role In Bath Salts Trafficking Conspiracy

SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that on September 28, 2017, Robert Benussi, III, age 26, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 107 months’ imprisonment by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley, for his participation in a conspiracy to distribute alpha-pvp, commonly known as “bath salts.”

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Benussi previously pleaded guilty to agreeing with others to distribute the drug to customers in the Luzerne County area during 2014 and 2015. The members of the conspiracy obtained the alpha-pvp from suppliers in China.

In imposing the sentence, Judge Munley noted that Benussi’s role in the conspiracy included distributing the highly addictive bath salts, and using force, threats, and intimidation in furtherance of the conspiracy.

Benussi was one of seven people charged by a grand jury in August 2016. That indictment was the fourth wave of arrests connected to alpha-pvp distribution in Luzerne County. In all, 18 people have been charged in the case since July 2013, including a Texas-based supplier of the bath salts.

Judge Munley also ordered Benussi to serve three years on supervised release following his prison sentence.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspectors, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, and local police from Luzerne County. Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.

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