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 Dameon Lattimore, age 39, of New York, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones, III in Harrisburg, to distributing heroin and crack cocaine that led to the death of a York City man.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Lattimore was charged by a grand jury in Harrisburg in December 2015 with codefendants Yushonda Durant, age 40, of New York, and Frederick Gladfelter, age 46, of York.

Gladfelter pleaded not guilty in December 2015 and is awaiting trial.  Durant remains a fugitive. 

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the York City Police Department and the York County District Attorney’s Office and is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney William A. Behe.

This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the heroin initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law is life imprisonment on the drug charges. The charge of causing death from drug distribution carries a mandatory minimum 20 year term of imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

 

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