Tobyhanna Resident Pleads Guilty To Heroin Trafficking

SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Victor Tello, age 25, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion in Scranton, to distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin.

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Tello admitted to distributing heroin in November-December 2013, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Tello admitted to selling between 40 grams and 60 grams of heroin, which is equivalent to between 1,300 and 2,200 retail bags of heroin.

Judge Mannion ordered a pre-sentence report to be completed. Sentencing will be scheduled after the pre-sentence report is completed.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $1 million 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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