HARRISBURG — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.

HARRISBURG – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 16, 2020, Maurice Lackey, age 40, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment for drug trafficking and firearms charges.  Lackey was also sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment to be served concurrent to his 40-year sentence, for violating the terms of his supervised release. 

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Lackey was arrested by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police on June 18, 2017, after two firearms and approximately 167 baggies of crack cocaine were found in his vehicle during a traffic stop.  One of the firearms was loaded at the time of his arrest and both firearms had previously been reported as stolen.  In 2003, Lackey had been convicted of possession with intent to distribute more than 5 grams of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Lackey was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for those offenses, and was released from prison less than eight months prior to his arrest on June 18, 2017.  On December 5, 2019, Lackey was convicted by a jury of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm as a felon and armed career criminal. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Harrisburg Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement 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 enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.

 

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