Williamsport Man Charged With Drug Deliveries Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Nathan Crowder, age 29, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was charged on November 14, 2017, in a superseding indictment with four additional counts of drug trafficking. 

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the superseding indictment alleges that Crowder engaged in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including heroin and carfentanil, from January to July of 2017. As part of that ongoing conspiracy, it is alleged that Crowder distributed a substance containing heroin and carfentanil on four separate occasions in June and July 2017. As a result, three people suffered serious bodily injury.

According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, carfentanil is used as a tranquilizing agent for elephants and large animals. It is estimated to be 10,000 times stronger than morphine.

The superseding indictment also contains the original charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to deliver heroin.

The charges stem from an investigation by the South Williamsport Police Department, the Williamsport Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Alisan VanFleet 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.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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 defendant is facing a mandatory sentence of twenty years in prison and maximum term of life imprisonment.  He also faces a $2,000,000 maximum fine, and maximum lifetime term of supervised release.  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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