Antonio Perez, Heroin Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2018

SCRANTON—A Hazleton man has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for his role in a heroin trafficking operation.

On June 28, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Antonio Perez, 46, to 33 months’ imprisonment and three years on supervised release. Perez had previously admitted to selling nearly 100 grams of heroin on July 2, 2014, in Hazleton.

The sale of the heroin, which is equivalent to just under 4,000 retail bags, was part of a larger investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Scranton Police Department. Perez was indicted by a grand jury in October 2014 and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.

The case was brought as part of a district-wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic of heroin use and distribution. The Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

The initiative is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals.

Perez’s sentencing marks another success in the fight against heroin trafficking in the region. The investigation and prosecution of Perez demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to hold individuals accountable for their crimes and to keep communities safe.

In total, Perez was sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years on supervised release. His sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and the need to hold individuals accountable for their actions.

Defendant: Antonio Perez

Criminal Charges: Distributing heroin

City and State: Hazleton, Pennsylvania

Exact Date: July 2, 2014 (crime date)

Sentence or Outcome: 33 months in prison and three years on supervised release

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/hazleton-man-sentenced-33-months-prison-heroin-trafficking