Monroe County Man Charged With Heroin And Cocaine Trafficking Offenses

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Monroe County man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Scranton for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and for aiding in the distribution of heroin.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Sal DiPalma, Jr., age 45, of East Stroudsburg, Monroe County, is charged with allegedly participating in the criminal activity in Monroe, Wayne and Lackawanna Counties between January and October of 2013.

The investigation was conducted by the Lackawanna County Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara.

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

A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is imprisonment for twenty years, 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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