Luzerne County Men Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Offenses

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that John Estock, age 37, and Frank Suriano, age 44, both of Pittston, Pennsylvania, have pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Suriano pleaded guilty Tuesday and Estock pleaded guilty today before Senior United States District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik.

According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, the charges and guilty pleas are part of a continuing investigation into a Pittston area drug ring by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. The charging documents in this case alleged that Suriano and Estock were part of a scheme to obtain cocaine in New York City transportation and sale in the Luzerne County.

The sentences following these guilty pleas will be imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

In these particular cases, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 40 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. 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.

Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus is prosecuting the case.