Wilkes-Barre Man Sentenced To 93 Months For Heroin Trafficking And Firearms Offenses

SCRANTON.  The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Judge Malachy Mannion sentenced Thomas Abreu, Jr., age 35, to 93 months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute heroin, and for possessing three stolen firearms in the course of his narcotics trafficking activities.

According to United States Attorney Bruce Brandler, Abreu, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was found on July 26, 2015 in a Wilkes-Barre motel with heroin and three stolen firearms.  Some of the heroin was packaged for distribution, and law enforcement officials also recovered drug packaging paraphernalia, a firearm holster, and $8,449 in cash.  Abreu admitted to possessing with the intent to distribute between 60 and 80 grams of heroin, which is equivalent to 2,400 to 3,200 bags of heroin.

Abreu was indicted by a grand jury on January 9, 2016, and pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement on June 21, 2016.  He has been in custody since July 26, 2015.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and by the Wilkes-Barre Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.

This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district-wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes.

This case also was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic of 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.

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