SCRANTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Caleb Guerrier, age 35, of Hanover Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on April 11, 2017, by a federal grand jury in a six-count superseding indictment charging multiple counts of crack cocaine trafficking and firearms offenses.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Guerrier was originally indicted by a grand jury in February 2016, for selling crack cocaine to a police informant on two separate occasions. A subsequent search of Guerrier’s residence revealed a cache of weapons and ammunition that included five semi-automatic pistols, three of which had obliterated serial numbers; one sawed-off shotgun, multiple boxes of assorted ammunition; drug paraphernalia and $195 in United States currency.
Guerrier was charged with counts of distributing crack cocaine, being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and possessing firearms with obliterated serial numbers.
The superseding indictment charges Guerrier with additional offenses, including additional counts of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition. The additional charges stem from a search of a storage unit which Guerrier rented in Wilkes-Barre Township in which investigators found more crack cocaine and additional amounts of ammunition.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide 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 with firearms.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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 for this offense is 80 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $3,750,000 fine. 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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