New York Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Conspiracy To Distribute Kilograms Of Cocaine And Failure To Appear In Court

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a New York City man was sentenced to 122 months (10 years) imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Yvette Kane in Harrisburg for conspiracy to distribution multiple kilograms of cocaine and for failure to appear in court.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Jonathan G. Almanzar, age 35, was charged in October 2005 with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride. Almanzar and three others also from New York City were arrested in October 2005 at the Perkins restaurant on Linglestown Road in Harrisburg. They were there ostensibly to conduct a drug deal for 25 to 50 kilograms of cocaine. Almanzar and his co-defendants were in possession of $37,940 in United States currency. The transaction was under surveillance by federal and state agents and all were arrested at the scene.   

Almanzar signed a plea agreement in July 2006. He was on bail and subsequently failed to appear in United States District Court for a scheduled guilty plea proceeding so an arrest warrant issued.  Almanzar remained a fugitive for approximately 9 years until he was located and arrested in New York City in March 2015.  In July 2015, a criminal Information was filed charging Almanzar with failure to appear.  Almanzar plead guilty to all charges in July 2015. 

The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Resident Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Dauphin County Drug Task Force and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe prosecuted the case.

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