SCRANTON – A local man is behind bars after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges of cocaine trafficking and firearm offenses.
Edward Gonzalez, 30, of Hazelton, Pennsylvania, was indicted on April 2, 2019, for possessing with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana on November 30, 2018, in Hazelton, Pennsylvania.
The indictment also alleges that Gonzalez possessed a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making communities safer.
Additionally, the case was part of a district-wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic of heroin use and distribution, led by the United States Attorney’s Office.
Indictments are only allegations, and all persons charged are presumed innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
According to federal law, the maximum total penalty for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
The sentence will be determined by the court after considering the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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