Ladon Huntley, Heroin Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2015
A massive heroin trafficking operation has been busted in Pennsylvania, with a New Jersey man at the center of the charges. Ladon Huntley, 38, of Newark, NJ, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg on multiple drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the indictment alleges that Huntley possessed approximately 32,000 bags (approximately two pounds) of heroin, which were recovered after a search of his car during a traffic stop on Interstate 81 in Lower Paxton Township on March 31, 2015. The grand jury also charged Huntley with conspiring with unknown individuals to distribute the heroin and with traveling interstate to facilitate heroin trafficking.
The matter was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s Harrisburg Resident Office. Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe has been assigned to prosecute the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations, and all persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is 45 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $2,250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs.
For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant. The case highlights the ongoing struggle against heroin trafficking in the region and serves as a reminder of the severity of the penalties associated with these crimes.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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