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 a federal grand jury returned a 22-count indictment charging 15 individuals from Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut with various narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses. All 15 defendants are alleged to have conspired to distribute heroin, crack cocaine and fentanyl from on or about March 2015 through March 2017. The indictment was returned on June 20, 2017, but remained under seal until all 15 defendants were apprehended.

 

The individuals charged in the indictment are:

  1. Charles Gibson, Jr. of the Bronx, NY, age 38;

  2. Victoria Kraynak of Plymouth, PA, age 26;

  3. Amanda Romano of Wilkes-Barre, PA, age 43;

  4. John Maybank of the Bronx, NY, age 24;

  5. Luis Nevarez of the Bronx, NY, age 19;

  6. Adam Gottstein of Kingston, PA, age 30;

  7. Cara Dubaskas of Kingston, PA, age 25;

  8. Kassandra Martin of Wilkes-Barre, PA, age 36;

  9. Tanay Jones of the Bronx, NY, age 25;

  10. William Waring of the Bronx, NY, age 26;

  11. Siobhan Daniels of Wilkes-Barre, PA, age 30;

  12. Josh Lenchick of Luzerne, PA, age 28;

  13. Chad Eckrote of Plymouth, PA, age 24;

  14. Adonis Smith of New London, CT, age 37;

  15. Kristyna Shotwell of Plymouth, PA, age 29.

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, in addition to the conspiracy charge against all defendants, the indictment charges Gibson, Kraynak, Romano, Maybank, Nevarez, Dubaskas, Gottstein, Daniels, Waring, Jones, Martin, and Smith with a combined 18 counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl. Defendants Cara Dubaskas, Adam Gottstein, and Kristyna Shotwell also are charged with maintaining drug premises. Amanda Romano is charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of her trafficking activities.

 

Several of the defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute drug weights that trigger mandatory minimum sentences:

  • Defendants Gibson and Kraynak are charged with conspiring to distribute in excess of one kilogram of heroin, which is the equivalent of at least 40,000 individual doses of heroin, and carries a 10-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment.

  • Defendants Maybank, Nevarez, Gottstein, Dubaskas, Martin, Jones, Waring, Daniels, and Lenchick are charged with conspiring to distribute in excess of 100 grams of heroin, which is the equivalent of at least 4,000 individual doses of heroin, and carries a five-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment.

  • Defendants Gibson, Kraynak, Romano, Maybank, Gottstein, and Dubaskas are charged with conspiring to distribute in excess of 280 grams of crack cocaine, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment.

  • Defendants Nevarez, Martin, Jones, Waring, Daniels, and Lenchick are charged with conspiring to distribute in excess of 28 grams of crack cocaine, which carries a five-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kingston Police Department, and by the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.

 

The 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.

 

The case also 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 to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

 

Indictments 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 the most serious offenses is up to life in prison. 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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