Medar Sentenced to 134 Months for Drug Conspiracy in Luzerne Co.

SCRANTON – In a stunning blow to Luzerne County’s drug underworld, Ryan Medar, 38, of Jenkins Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 134 months’ imprisonment and four years of supervised release by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani. The sentence stems from one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 50 grams and more of methamphetamine.

According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Medar had been involved in a drug ring that operated in Luzerne County between October of 2023 and April of 2024. He admitted to conspiring with Jamie Smicherko, Patrick Russin, Carlos Laurel, and others, playing a key role in the distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine.

During the investigation, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to make purchases from Medar, securing both methamphetamine and a pistol. The case was a collaborative effort by multiple agencies, including the ATF, Kingston Police Department, Plains Township Police Department, Wilkes-Barre Police Department, Pittston Police Department, Luzerne County Drug Task Force, Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case, which was brought under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, a federal statute designed to target firearms trafficking and straw-purchasing. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.

On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on fostering community trust, supporting prevention efforts, setting enforcement priorities, and measuring results. The sentencing of Ryan Medar sends a clear message that drug trafficking and firearms violations will not be tolerated in Luzerne County.

For more information on this case, visit the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania’s official website.