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 that Na’Deardra Mayhams, age 28, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 7, 2020 to 66 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for heroin and crack cocaine trafficking and firearms offenses.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, between February 2016 and May 2016, Mayhams was a member of a drug ring that distributed heroin and crack cocaine in the Wilkes-Barre area.  Mayhams personally sold narcotics to a confidential informant, and a search of her residence recovered heroin, crack cocaine, and a firearm.  A search warrant of the residence of Mayhams’s codefendants recovered a second firearm registered in her name.  Mayhams pleaded guilty to trafficking five grams of crack cocaine and 40 grams of heroin, the latter of which is the equivalent of approximately 1,600 potentially fatal doses of heroin, and for possessing firearms in furtherance of her drug dealing activities.

Four other members of the drug ring previously were sentenced:

  • Davon Beckford, of Wilkes-Barre, was sentenced to time served of approximately 13 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.  After violating the terms of his supervised release, Beckford was sentenced to an additional 6 months’ imprisonment.
  • Jaquan Henderson, of Wilkes-Barre, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
  • Stephanie Walter, of Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to two years of probation.
  • Al Dunlap, of Wilkes-Barre, was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release.

A sixth defendant, Truman Jones, was convicted at trial in December 2019 and awaits sentencing.

The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant United States Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and Jenny Roberts prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case also is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

This case further 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.

 

# # #