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 Samantha Blume, age 30, formerly of Frackville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Blume admitted to aiding and abetting the distribution of highly-pure crystal methamphetamine in the Schuylkill County area in February 2019.  Blume and her then boyfriend, Shaquane Scott, age 31, also of Frackville, were indicted by a grand jury in September 2019 for methamphetamine trafficking. 

On June 23, 2021, Judge Mannion sentenced Shaquane Scott to six years’ imprisonment for methamphetamine trafficking.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

Judge Mannion ordered that a presentence report be completed for Blume.  Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

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.

The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.  The maximum sentence under federal law is up to forty years in 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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