Justis Shea, a 32-year-old resident of Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley after Shea pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to deliver controlled substances and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Both sentences will run concurrently.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, "Shea previously pled guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and a synthetic cannabinoid, commonly referred to as K2, in a Luzerne County hotel room in June of 2024. As part of that plea, Shea also admitted to possessing, on or about July 2, 2024, a stolen Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle, which had previously been shipped in interstate commerce, knowing that he had previously been convicted of a felony."
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with the Kingston Police Department, Wilkes-Barre Police Department, Pittston Police Department, Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
The prosecution was carried out under new criminal provisions established by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act enacted in June 2022. This law is noted as the first federal statute specifically aimed at addressing unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
Additionally, this case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates efforts among law enforcement agencies and community organizations to reduce violent crime and gun violence across neighborhoods. In May 2021, the Department launched an updated strategy for PSN focused on building trust within communities, supporting local organizations working on violence prevention, prioritizing strategic enforcement actions, and evaluating outcomes.
