HARRISBURG — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney=s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Court Judge Yvette Kane sentenced Devonte Betts, age 21, of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania to 6 years of incarceration today in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Betts pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance on June 15, 2015.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Betts was in the vicinity of 13th and Market Streets in Harrisburg on June 6, 2014 in possession of two loaded firearms, as well as heroin and crack cocaine. Officers from the Harrisburg Bureau of Police apprehended Betts after a brief foot chase. During the chase, a portion of which was captured on local surveillance cameras, Betts tossed the guns from his waistband. The officers immediately collected a loaded 9mm handgun and a loaded .357 firearm from Betts’ flight path. At the time of his arrest, Betts was carrying multiple bags of heroin, crack cocaine and other indicia of drug trafficking.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a districtwide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith A. Taylor.
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