The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a criminal information was filed today charging a Kingston man with distributing Oxycontin and unlawfully possessing a firearm as an illegal drug user.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the information alleges that Shawn Jenks, age 32, unlawfully possessed the firearm during September through November 2014, and illegally distributed Oxycontin pills on November 22, 2014, in Luzerne County.

The charges stem from an investigation by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Kingston Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.

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, if the defendant is convicted of the charges, he faces a maximum penalty under the federal statute of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the drug charge, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the gun charge. 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.