A man from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to over 15 years in prison for his involvement in a drug distribution conspiracy. Anthony Jordan Vega, aged 29 and residing in Hazleton, was sentenced on February 4, 2025, by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani. His sentence includes 188 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus stated that Vega was part of a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other controlled substances across Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties from January 2022 until his arrest on April 20, 2023. Investigations revealed that Vega managed a network of drug traffickers and worked with co-conspirators to handle drug orders and distributions. Undercover purchases led to his arrest in April 2023, during which he attempted to obstruct justice by directing the concealment of around 5,000 bags of fentanyl at a stash house in Hazleton.
Vega was indicted by a grand jury in Scranton on April 18, 2023, alongside Alex Hernandez, another member of the conspiracy from Hazleton. On July 19, 2024, Vega pleaded guilty to charges related to the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Hernandez had previously received a ten-year sentence for his involvement.
The case resulted from an investigation conducted by the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force in Scranton and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski handled the prosecution.
This case is part of a district-wide initiative led by the United States Attorney’s Office aimed at combating heroin and fentanyl trafficking within the Middle District of Pennsylvania. It aligns with Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which focuses on reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community organizations.
