SCRANTON – A jury has convicted Kevin Jones, also known as ‘Hat,’ a 39-year-old from Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, for his role in a massive fentanyl trafficking operation that spanned across Northeastern Pennsylvania and beyond.
Jones was one of fifteen individuals indicted last February for conspiring to distribute over 400 grams of the deadly drug. His scheme involved importing pills containing fentanyl through the mail from Arizona and distributing them locally, as well as in other states.
The trial, which lasted four days, ended with a guilty verdict on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Jones was among the last of his co-defendants to face trial; thirteen others have already pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam highlighted the severity of the offense during his remarks, noting that Jones’ sentence could be as high as life imprisonment, in addition to supervised release following imprisonment and a substantial fine.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence from six of Jones’ co-conspirators, along with investigators from the FBI, Wilkes-Barre Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Gerard T. Donahue led the prosecution effort.
This case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence in neighborhoods by fostering community trust and strategic enforcement priorities. The initiative was strengthened with a focus on reducing violent crime and has been instrumental in bringing cases like Jones’ to justice.
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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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