Wilkes-Barre Man Found Guilty Of Heroin Trafficking And Firearm Charges After Five Day Federal Trial

     The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that on Monday a federal jury in Scranton returned seven guilty verdicts against Terrell Stevenson, a/k/a “Inf”, age 36, of Wilkes-Barre, on charges involving trafficking in excess of 100 grams of heroin and related firearm offenses.

     Following a 5-day trial before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, the jury deliberated for about 2 ½ hours before returning guilty verdicts on 1 count of conspiracy to distribute 100 or more grams of heroin within 1,000 feet of a protected area (an elementary school), 1 count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, 1 count of unlawful use of a communication facility in furtherance of a violation of a controlled substance offense, 1 count of unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, 1 count of felon in possession of firearm, 1 count of fugitive from justice in possession of a firearm, and one count of unlawful possession of a means of identification as an aid in the commission of a federal violation.  Stevenson was found not guilty of 1 count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

     The defendants were first charged in a criminal complaint filed in 2012.  The others charged include: William Nelson, age 42, and Merisol Merry, age 42, both of Brooklyn, New York;  Lamar Thomas, age 40, Gregory Bush, age 52, both from Scranton; Michael Blondell, age 35, of Blakely; Christopher Taylor, age 26, of Binghamton, New York; and Sean Martinelli, 29, of Philadelphia.  All pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

     At Stevenson’s trial, the Government presented the testimony of 16 witnesses and evidence from a federal wiretap investigation.  Communications between the co-conspirators and the defendant were played in court, admitted into evidence and presented to the jury.  The communications involved discussions focused on possession and distribution of heroin, quantities of heroin, and drug proceeds.

     Stevenson faces a possible maximum life sentence based on the offenses and his prior criminal record.  A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

     This case arose from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency Scranton office, the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office – Detective Division, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre Police Departments.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.