Mark Thompson, age 51, of Ashland, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 22 to 21 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release for one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was issued by Senior United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani in Scranton.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Thompson admitted that from January 2025 through April 25, 2025, he conspired with others in Schuylkill County to distribute and possess with intent to distribute approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Shenandoah Police Department, and the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices across all federal districts, played a role in this prosecution as part of broader efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. According to the announcement, “PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies.”
The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania operates under the United States Department of Justice and handles prosecutions of federal crimes as well as civil litigation for the government within its region spanning about 21,907 square miles across central Pennsylvania. The office serves approximately 3.2 million residents through facilities located in Harrisburg, Scranton, Williamsport, and Wilkes-Barre while promoting community safety initiatives such as Project Safe Neighborhoods alongside re-entry services designed to reduce recidivism, according to the official website.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is described as a key component of Operation Take Back America within these efforts.