United States Attorney David Metcalf announced last week that 38-year-old Matthew Romig of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison. In addition to his prison term, Romig will serve six years of supervised release and pay a $900 special assessment. This sentencing was delivered by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. for drug distribution and firearms offenses.
Romig faced indictment in October 2024 on multiple charges: five counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute, one count of possession within 1,000 feet of a school or playground, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of an unregistered machine gun. He pled guilty to all charges in January.
According to court filings, Romig admitted to repeatedly selling cocaine in Bethlehem, often near a community playground. On July 26, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence on the 600 block of Hayes Street. They seized approximately $760 and three grams of cocaine from his vehicle, and eight grams of cocaine from his residence. Authorities also uncovered a .45 caliber MAC-10 machine pistol with an extended magazine and suppressor. The firearm was unregistered, with its serial number removed, and set to full-automatic mode.
Romig was previously convicted of robbery in 2005, receiving a sentence of 14 to 36 months. Due to this prior conviction, he was prohibited from possessing firearms.
"Matthew Romig endangered his community, selling cocaine and arming himself with a deadly weapon," stated U.S. Attorney Metcalf. "He wasn’t allowed to have any firearm, let alone a submachine gun set to full automatic, with extended magazine and suppressor."
Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division, emphasized the severity of Romig’s activities, noting, "Matthew Romig was selling drugs near a playground and armed with a fully automatic MAC-10 .45 submachine gun." DeGree added that this federal prison sentence will prevent Romig from further endangering the community.
The investigation involved the ATF, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bethlehem Police Department, and utilized the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca Kulik and Robert Schopf are prosecuting the case.
