Johnstown Man Daniel Culmer, 49, Charged in 2016 Heroin Distribution

Johnstown, PA – A two-day heroin handoff in 2016 has caught up with Daniel Culmer, 49, now facing federal indictment for distributing the deadly drug. The Johnstown resident was named in a grand jury indictment unsealed this week, marking the culmination of a years-long investigation into local narcotics trafficking.

Culmer is accused of distributing less than 100 grams of heroin on June 7 and June 8, 2016. While the quantity may seem small, federal prosecutors stress that even minor amounts trigger severe penalties under U.S. law—especially when lives are at stake in a region gutted by opioid addiction.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison and a $2,000,000 fine. The actual sentence, if Culmer is convicted, will depend on the severity of the offense and any prior criminal record, according to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song confirmed the indictment, underscoring the federal government’s ongoing crackdown on drug networks in western Pennsylvania. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie L. Haines is leading the prosecution.

The case was built by investigators from the Laurel Highlands Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cambria County Drug Task Force. Their collaboration highlights the multi-agency effort to dismantle supply chains feeding the region’s epidemic.

An indictment is not a conviction. Daniel Culmer is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Federal authorities remind the public that all defendants are entitled to due process, regardless of the charges they face.