A Philadelphia man has been convicted of heroin trafficking charges after a five-day jury trial.
Raymond Howard, 45, of Philadelphia, was found guilty on October 26, 2020, of engaging in a conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and a mixture of heroin and carfentanil in Lycoming County from October 2016 to July 2017.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the jury deliberated approximately one hour before reaching a verdict. Howard’s coconspirators, Wayne Davidson, Markeese Askew, and Nathan Crowder, pleaded guilty earlier in October and face minimum sentences of 11 years’ imprisonment.
The case involved a rash of drug overdoses in Williamsport in June 2017, with 51 cases treated at UPMC Susquehanna and Wellsboro within a 48-hour period. The trial team presented evidence that Howard and his coconspirators used cell phones to arrange for the distribution of heroin and the mixture of heroin and carfentanil that resulted in several overdoses.
Carfentanil, a synthetic opioid, is 100 times more potent than fentanyl. The charges against Howard and his coconspirators were brought as part of a district-wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.
The case was investigated by the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit, Montoursville Police Department, Old Lycoming Township Police Department, South Williamsport Police Department, Williamsport Bureau of Police, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alisan V. Martin and Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case, which is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer.
Howard faces 30 years to life imprisonment, a term of supervised release, and a fine. The sentence will be determined by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann, who will consider the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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