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 Jerome Edward Sturdivant, age 39, and Alison Sawchak, age 39, both of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, were indicted on March 29, 2022, by a federal grand jury for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Sturdivant and Sawchak conspired to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine from August to  October 2020.  The indictment further alleges that Sturdivant, who is a convicted felon, unlawfully possessed firearms and ammunition.  

The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and Drug Control, and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  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.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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