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Florida Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Heroin-Cocaine Trafficking Ring
A Florida man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in a heroin and cocaine trafficking conspiracy that operated in Monroe and Wayne Counties in Pennsylvania between 2011 and 2014.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Carlos Ruben Cruz, 48, admitted to overseeing the conspiracy, which involved three of his children and the distribution of between 400 and 700 grams of heroin, equivalent to between 13,000 and 23,000 retail bags of heroin.
Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury in Scranton in August 2014, as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office, and Pocono Mountain Regional Police.
Three of Cruz’s children, Rubie Cruz, 26, Tiffanyann Cruz, 22, and Brandon Cruz, 24, have previously pleaded guilty to participating in the drug conspiracy. Brandon Cruz and Tiffanyann Cruz were sentenced to prison terms. Rubie Cruz is awaiting sentencing.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Richard P. Conaboy also ordered Carlos Cruz to serve three years on supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district-wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic of heroin trafficking. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the heroin initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Carlos Ruben Cruz’s sentencing marks a significant blow to the heroin trafficking ring that operated in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The case serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of heroin trafficking on communities and the importance of continued efforts to combat this crisis.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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