SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has dropped the hammer on a drug trafficking operation in Wilkes-Barre. Edirso De Leon Frias, 25, of Nanticoke; Nathaniel Murphy, 41; Roy Seabrook, 43; and Ruth Reyes-Maldonado, 32, all from Wilkes-Barre, have been indicted on federal charges for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to distribute and possess heroin and cocaine.
The original indictment, unsealed after the defendants’ arrests on April 10, 2017, accused De Leon Frias, Murphy, and Seabrook of conspiring to distribute over one kilogram of heroin and over 500 grams of cocaine. Reyes-Maldonado was also charged in this conspiracy.
De Leon Frias faces additional charges for possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime. The severity of the charges is underscored by the fact that one kilogram of heroin equates to approximately 40,000 individual doses.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Wilkes-Barre Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police, utilizing multiple wiretaps over a year-long period.
U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler emphasized that this case is part of the Heroin Initiative to combat the heroin epidemic in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. It also aligns with the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (VCRP), aimed at curbing violent crime involving firearms.
Indictments and charges are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Sentencing will be determined by the Judge after considering federal statutes and guidelines, potentially resulting in life imprisonment and substantial fines.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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