Schuylkill County Man Pleads Guilty To Methamphetamine Trafficking

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Javier Guzman, age 51, of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, pleaded guilty on September 20, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Guzman admitted to possessing between 50 and 200 grams of high-quality crystal methamphetamine for distribution in the Schuylkill County area in 2022.  The charge stems from an investigation in which investigators made purchases of high-quality crystal methamphetamine from Guzman in March 2022 in Schuylkill County.

The charge against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Under federal law the charge carries a maximum sentence of up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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