Lackawanna County Man Sentenced To 240 Months’ Imprisonment For Drug Trafficking And Firearms Offenses

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 Jimmy Bell, age 33, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 13, 2026, to 240 months’ imprisonment and a term of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marihuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marihuana, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Bell had plead guilty on an earlier date.  As part of his guilty plea, Bell admitted that on or about May 26, 2023, in Lackawanna County, he conspired with his co-defendants to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 2KG of methamphetamine and nearly 4KG of marihuana. Bell, a previously convicted felon, also admitted that he possessed a rifle with an obliterated serial number and additional ammunition and a Smith & Wesson .38 special handgun with an obliterated serial number and additional ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking offense. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Gerard Donahue prosecuted the case.

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