Lee Crawford and John Williams, Fentanyl Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2021

SCRANTON – In a shocking turn of events, two men from Luzerne County have been accused of conspiring to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl in the area.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Lee Crawford, 59, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and John Williams, 41, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, have been indicted on March 23, 2021, by a federal grand jury for their alleged involvement in the fentanyl trafficking ring.

The indictment alleges that Crawford and Williams conspired to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl in Luzerne County between July 2020 and February 2021. Additionally, Crawford is charged with nine counts of distributing fentanyl, while Williams is charged with one count of distributing fentanyl.

The case was investigated by the Kingston Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

The indictment is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer. The program has been successful in bringing together law enforcement agencies to tackle the growing issue of fentanyl trafficking.

Crawford and Williams are facing severe penalties if convicted. Under federal law, Crawford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to a maximum sentence of life in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, up to a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine.

The indictment highlights the growing concern of fentanyl trafficking in Luzerne County and the need for law enforcement agencies to work together to combat this issue.

Indictments and criminal informations are only allegations, and all persons charged are presumed innocent 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.

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