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 on October 24, 2017, United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Magdalena Alvarez, age 55, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, to six months home confinement for her role in a drug conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brander, Alvarez pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute approximately 30 grams of heroin and 30 grams of cocaine throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania between February and April 2016. This amount of drugs equates to approximately 1,200 personal doses of heroin.
Alvarez was indicted by a grand jury on October 25, 2016, and pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement on January 24, 2017.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre Police Departments conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Evan Gotlob and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.
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.
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