Thomas Coss, Possession of Drugs, Pennsylvania 2019

SCRANTON—In a shocking turn of events, Thomas Coss, age 37, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 17 months' imprisonment for possessing illegal drugs and contraband inside the Lackawanna County Prison.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Coss previously pleaded guilty to possessing contraband in prison. Coss admitted that between July 2015 and April 2016, while an inmate at the prison, he obtained, possessed and attempted to obtain suboxone and tobacco that were smuggled into the prison by others on several occasions.

To date, four people have been charged in connection with the investigation.

Senior U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo imposed the 17-month sentence to run consecutive to a sentence Coss is currently serving in state prison for an unrelated crime. Judge Caputo also ordered Coss to serve two years on supervised release following his prison sentence.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.

As a result of Coss's actions, the Lackawanna County Prison has taken steps to increase security and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Defendant: Thomas Coss, a 37-year-old resident of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Criminal Charges: Possessing contraband in prison.

City and State: Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Exact Date: June 17, 2019.

Sentence: 17 months' imprisonment.

Additional Sentence: Two years on supervised release following his prison sentence.

This case is a reminder of the importance of maintaining a safe and secure prison environment.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/inmate-sentenced-17-months-imprisonment-possession-drugs-and-contraband-lackawanna