Wilkes-Barre Man Pleads Guilty To Crack Cocaine Trafficking

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jahkel Lamar, age 29, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on April 24, 2017, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to possession with intent to distribute more than 28 grams of crack cocaine.

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Lamar admitted to possessing approximately 127 grams of crack cocaine on September 1, 2016, at a bus terminal on Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton after Lamar had returned to Scranton by bus from New York City.

Judge Mannion ordered that a pre-sentence investigation be completed. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Scranton Police Department, Special Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

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 is up to forty years in prison, 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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