The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has announced that Mark Thompson, a 49-year-old resident of Ashland, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to drug trafficking.
Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus stated that the indictment accuses Thompson of conspiring with others to distribute and possess methamphetamine from January 2025 until approximately April 25, 2025, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Additionally, it is alleged that on or about April 8, 2025, Thompson distributed and possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Shenandoah Police Department, and the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan is handling the prosecution.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators. The operation leverages resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Under federal law, if found guilty of these offenses, Thompson could face up to twenty years in prison along with supervised release following imprisonment and a fine. Sentencing would be determined by a judge based on federal sentencing statutes and guidelines.
It is important to note that indictments are merely allegations; all individuals charged are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
