Erie Man, Joel Nicholas Gustave, Jr., Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Possession Charge
ERIE, Pa. – Joel Nicholas Gustave, Jr., a 40-year-old resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal drugs laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about November 1, 2019, Gustave possessed with the intent to distribute 840.8 grams of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
According to the plea agreement, Gustave faces a total sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, or both.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The guilty plea was entered in United States District Court before Judge Susan Paradise Baxter, who scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. Gustave is currently free on bond pending sentencing.
The investigation that led to the prosecution of Gustave was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE) Safe Streets task force, which is comprised of investigators from the FBI, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Erie Police Department, the Oil City Police Department, and the Titusville Police Department.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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