The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a New York City man was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Edwin M. Kosik to serve 40 months in prison on the charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Richard Caba-Batista, age 35, formerly of New York City, previously admitted to participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy which obtained cocaine in Texas and New York City and distributed the cocaine in the Monroe County and Northampton County areas in 2011.
Caba-Batista also faces deportation proceedings.
In addition to the prison term, Senior Judge Kosik also ordered that Caba-Batista be supervised by a probation officer for four years following his prison sentence if he is not deported.
Previously, Dickson Gutierrez, age 37, and Jhonathan Gutierrez-Esquea, age 33, both formerly of Stroudsburg, were sentenced to 60 months in prison for participating in the same cocaine-trafficking conspiracy. As part of his plea agreement, Dickson Gutierrez also agreed to forfeit to the United States two properties in the Dominican Republic which were purchased with the proceeds of cocaine trafficking activity.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Stroud Area Regional Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
