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 LezFrank Vargas-Herrera a/k/a Christian Rivera Rios, age 25, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 11, 2017, to 181 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine hydrochloride and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

 

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, eleven defendants were originally indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2015.

 

The charges stem from an investigation in which the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Lebanon County intercepted packages sent from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to the United States between June and October 2014. The packages contained kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine hydrochloride concealed inside electronics and car parts. The offense involved at least nine kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and seven kilograms of heroin (which equals approximately 280,000 retail bags of heroin). Vargas-Herrera was also found in possession of a Glock 9mm handgun, a loaded magazine, and ammunition when he was arrested by law enforcement.

 

The following co-defendants were previously sentenced by Chief Judge Conner:

  • Glauco Kelvin Celedonio-Smith, age 20, to 180 months’ imprisonment;

  • Wilson Herrera, age 22, to 120 months’ imprisonment;

  • Felix Rodriguez-Pabon, age 25, to 87 months’ imprisonment;

  • Lional Martinez-Osaria, age 30, to 68 months’ imprisonment;

  • Yefries Guillan-Herrera, age 24, to 57 months’ imprisonment;

  • Wilfreddy Perez, age 24, to 35 months’ imprisonment; and

  • Jose Pena-Herrera, age 22, to 12 months’ imprisonment.

Luis Beato-Herrera and Nelson Martinez are awaiting sentencing.

 

The investigation was conducted by HSI, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office Detective Unit, and the U.S. Customs & Border Protection. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daryl F. Bloom.

 

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

 

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.

 

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