Stroudsburg Woman Gets 20 Years for Deadly Heroin Deal

SCRANTON, PA – Susan Melissa Nickas, 47, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, will spend the next two decades behind bars after being sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for her involvement in a drug conspiracy that resulted in a fatal overdose. U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion handed down the sentence following Nickas’s conviction after a full trial.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Nickas conspired with Jeremy Johnson, also of Stroudsburg, to flood the Middle District of Pennsylvania with heroin and fentanyl beginning in January 2020 and continuing through March 2021. The pair allegedly obtained and distributed the deadly duo, and a delivery made during that period directly led to the death of an individual. Both Nickas and Johnson were found guilty of aiding and abetting each other in the December 10, 2020 distribution that proved fatal.

The prosecution built its case on damning testimony. Dr. Michael Coyer, a Forensic Toxicologist, testified that the victim’s death was a direct result of heroin and fentanyl use. A PSP Forensic Chemist further corroborated the evidence by analyzing drugs recovered from the scene. Law enforcement from multiple agencies – including the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pocono Township Police Department, and the FBI (Scranton and Pittsburgh offices) – contributed to the investigation and provided crucial testimony.

This isn’t Nickas’s first brush with justice in this case. Her co-conspirator, Jeremy Johnson, already received a hefty 300-month sentence from Judge Mannion for his role in the crimes. The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, showcasing a united front against the region’s drug crisis.

Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Sean Camoni spearheaded the prosecution. Beyond the prison sentence, Nickas will also be subject to a three-year term of supervised release upon her eventual release from federal custody. This case is a key component of the broader “Heroin Initiative,” a district-wide effort aimed at dismantling heroin trafficking networks within the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

The initiative, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is further integrated into Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program designed to reduce violent crime and enhance community safety. The Department of Justice launched a strengthened PSN strategy in May 2021, focusing on fostering trust with communities, supporting violence prevention programs, prioritizing strategic enforcement, and meticulously tracking results. This sentencing sends a clear message: those who profit from pushing poison onto the streets will face severe consequences.

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