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 Eli Valentine Calero, age 44, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and John Charles Ehrhard, Jr., age 57, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, were found guilty following a five-day jury trial on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, a jury found Calero and Erhard guilty of conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine between 2024 and 2025. The jury also found Calero guilty of possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and Ehrhard guilty of five counts of distributing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Deputy Criminal Chief Jenny P. Roberts and First Assistant John Gurganus prosecuted the case.
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 defendants are facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentencing date has not been scheduled.
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