Newark Drug Dealer Man Sentenced in Erie to 15 Years in Prison

ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Newark, New Jersey, has been sentenced in federal court to 180 months in jail and 10 years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal drug laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Zavia L. Johnson, 48. The sentence was ordered to be served consecutively to a 14 year sentence Johnson is currently serving.

According to information presented to the court, on November 2, 2012, Johnson, who was from Newark, New Jersey, was traveling South on Interstate 79 after leaving Rochester, New York, and was pulled over by a Trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police after a traffic violation was observed. A certified drug detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle, and a search warrant was executed. During the search of the vehicle, law enforcement officers discovered 175 wrapped “bricks” containing 8,700 stamp bags, or dosage units, of heroin. In addition, $7,000.00 in cash was located in a duffle bag in the trunk of the vehicle.

Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Song commended the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Johnson.