Luzerne County Heroin Dealers Get Long Hauls

SCRANTON, PA – Justice, slow but sure, came down hard on two Luzerne County heroin dealers this week. The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit confirmed the substantial prison sentences handed down to Desmond Mercer and Shaliek Stroman, both convicted for their parts in a 2014 heroin trafficking ring. This isn’t some slap-on-the-wrist plea bargain; these men are going away for a long time.

Desmond Mercer will be spending the next 14 years behind bars, while his associate, Shaliek Stroman, received a 12 ½-year sentence. Both sentences were originally imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley, and the Third Circuit found no grounds to overturn them. U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler confirmed the affirmation, signaling a win for federal prosecutors in the ongoing battle against opioid distribution.

The scope of the operation was significant. Mercer, according to his guilty plea, wasn’t just moving a few bags. He admitted to distributing over 700 grams of heroin – roughly 23,000 individual bags destined for the streets of Luzerne County. What’s particularly galling? Mercer allegedly orchestrated a portion of this trafficking from inside the Luzerne County Prison. This man was running a drug operation while in jail. The audacity is breathtaking.

Stroman played a key role as a sub-distributor, feeding Mercer’s network and ensuring the heroin reached its final destination. Both men initially pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge, acknowledging their involvement in a multi-state operation that stretched from Luzerne County to New Jersey and Alabama. The Third Circuit’s rulings affirmed that Judge Munley properly considered all relevant factors – sentencing guidelines, pre-sentence reports, and the severity of the crimes – when determining the punishment.

The investigation, a joint effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kingston Police, is part of a larger, district-wide initiative dubbed the “Heroin Initiative.” This isn’t an isolated case; it’s a concerted push by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to dismantle heroin trafficking networks throughout the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa led the prosecution and successfully defended the sentences on appeal.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the relentless flow of heroin into our communities and the lengths to which traffickers will go to profit from addiction. While these convictions offer a measure of relief, the fight is far from over. The Heroin Initiative will continue to target those who prey on vulnerable populations, bringing them to justice and attempting to stem the tide of this deadly epidemic. Expect more arrests, more trials, and more lengthy sentences as law enforcement digs deeper into the roots of this criminal enterprise.