SCRANTON—A Schuylkill County man has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.
Ernest Schaeffer, 43, of Schuylkill Haven, was sentenced on July 2, 2019, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 15 years’ imprisonment followed by five years on supervised release for participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Schaeffer previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine between June and October 2016.
But what made Schaeffer’s crimes even more heinous was his treatment of a woman he held captive on his property. Judge Mannion explained that he imposed a sentence above the advisory guidelines range because during the course of the drug conspiracy Schaeffer held a woman captive for three days in a shed on his property and tortured her with electric shocks and a stun gun.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and local police in Schuylkill County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is committed to reducing violent crime and making our communities safer. This sentence sends a strong message that those who engage in such heinous crimes will be held accountable.
Schaeffer’s sentence is a result of the tireless efforts of law enforcement and prosecutors who worked together to bring him to justice.
As part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is working to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is dedicated to protecting our communities and bringing those who commit violent crimes to justice.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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