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 Lee Crawford, age 59, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and John Williams, age 41, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, were indicted on March 23, 2021, by a federal grand jury for conspiring to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl in Luzerne County.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Crawford and Williams conspired to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area between July 2020 and February 2021. The indictment also charges Crawford with nine counts of distributing fentanyl and charges Williams with one count of distributing fentanyl.

The case was investigated by the Kingston Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is 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.

Indictments and Criminal Informations 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.

Under federal law, Crawford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison,  up to a maximum sentence of life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison,  up to a maximum sentence of forty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. 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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