The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a New Jersey resident was indicted by a federal grand jury in Scranton today for trafficking in heroin in Kingston, Pennsylvania, in January 2013.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the grand jury alleges that George Wormley, age 37, of Montclair, New Jersey, possessed heroin with the intent to distribute it on Jan. 3, 2013.
The charge stems from an investigation by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Kingston Police, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office.
If convicted of the charge, Wormley faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 20 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine of $1 million. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
