Monroe County Man Sentenced for Heroin Trafficking

A Monroe County man has been sentenced to 37 months in prison for heroin trafficking and firearms charges.

According to the United States Attorney Peter Smith, Joseph Crawford, 41, of Marshalls Creek, pleaded guilty in January 2015 to the charges of possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.

Crawford and Harry Rivera, 39, of East Stroudsburg, were indicted by a grand jury in Scranton in November 2014. The charges stemmed from an incident on June 17, 2014, in Monroe County, in which investigators found approximately 97 grams of heroin in a hidden compartment in a vehicle in which Crawford and Rivera were travelling.

Police also seized a Glock pistol and a Smith & Wesson rifle after a search of Crawford’s residence in Marshall’s Creek. Crawford, who was previously convicted of a felony offense, is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.

Senior Judge Edwin M. Kosik also ordered that Crawford be supervised by a probation officer for three years following his release from prison. Rivera pleaded guilty today before Senior Judge Kosik to the charge of aiding the possession with intent to distribute heroin. The guilty plea was pursuant to a plea agreement filed by the government in June 2015.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department, and the Stroud Area Regional Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara.

Crawford’s sentence is a result of his involvement in the heroin trafficking and firearms charges. His cooperation with the authorities and the guilty plea will be taken into consideration during his supervised release.

The sentencing of Crawford marks the end of a lengthy investigation into the heroin trafficking ring in Monroe County. The cooperation between the law enforcement agencies has been instrumental in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

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