Edwin Vaquiz, Heroin Distribution and Possession with Intent to Dis…

Edwin Vaquiz, 27, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, is behind bars and facing federal time after a grand jury indicted him on charges of heroin distribution and possession with intent to distribute. The Middle District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed the charges were handed down October 25, 2016, in Scranton, blowing the lid off a local drug operation.

The indictment, unsealed the day after Vaquiz’s arrest in Berwick, alleges he distributed heroin on January 22, 2016, and was caught with over sixty grams—nearly 1,800 individual retail bags—of the drug just one week later. Federal prosecutors say the weight and packaging indicate clear intent to sell, not personal use. Vaquiz was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karoline Mehalchick and immediately ordered detained.

According to U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the case is part of a sweeping federal crackdown on heroin trafficking across Pennsylvania. Vaquiz’s alleged actions fit the profile of a growing epidemic: small-town dealers feeding a deadly addiction crisis. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and steep fines.

The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, working in tandem with the Berwick Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is handling the prosecution, signaling the federal government’s intent to make an example out of those fueling the opioid crisis.

This case stems from a district-wide initiative targeting heroin networks operating in the Middle District. The coordinated push involves federal, state, and local agencies aligning resources to dismantle supply chains and arrest distributors. Authorities stress that no arrest is made in isolation—each takedown is part of a broader strategy.

It’s important to note: indictments are not convictions. Edwin Vaquiz is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Sentencing, if convicted, will be determined by the judge, weighing federal guidelines, the severity of the offense, and Vaquiz’s personal history. For now, the streets of Berwick are one dealer shorter.