A major blow to the illicit drug trade in Pennsylvania was dealt earlier today as a 36-year-old Reading man was sentenced to 75 months in prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy.
The defendant, Donald Patnelli, Jr., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani in Scranton for his involvement in the conspiracy that operated in Monroe and Berks Counties.
According to Peter Smith, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Patnelli pleaded guilty to participating in the drug conspiracy responsible for distributing over one kilogram of heroin, more than 280 grams of crack cocaine, and other drugs from 2010 to 2013.
Patnelli was indicted by a grand jury in June 2013, as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Berks County District Attorney’s Office.
As part of his sentence, Donald Patnelli, Jr. will serve five years on supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
The investigation and subsequent conviction demonstrate the collaborative effort of local and federal law enforcement agencies to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in the community.
Defendant information:
Defendant Name: Donald Patnelli, Jr.
Criminal Charges: Participating in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy.
City and State: Reading, Pennsylvania
Crime Date: 2010 to 2013
Sentence: 75 months in prison, followed by five years on supervised release.
With this conviction, the community can rest assured that those responsible for perpetuating the drug trade will face the full weight of the law.
Related Federal Cases
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- Donald Goodwine, Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy, Pennsylvania 2012 · Pennsylvania
- Ramon Otero Jr., Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime, Arizona 2021 · Pennsylvania
- Donald Smith, Military Contract Fraud, Pennsylvania 2019 · Pennsylvania
- Jose Baez Cabrera, Cocaine Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2023 · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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