HARRISBURG, Pa. – A federal grand jury in Harrisburg indicted eight men on Wednesday for possessing, distributing, and conspiring to possess and distribute substantial amounts of heroin.
The indictment charges:
• Jose Perez Delgado, age 32;
• Addan Brito Torres, age 28;
• Yovelin Mendez Marte, age 36;
• Rashawn Spriggs, age 28;
• Deajon Spriggs, age 18;
• Joshua Baker, age 19, all of Chambersburg;
• Brandon Morant, age 26, and
• Jerthione Bell, age 28, both of Lancaster
with distributing more than 100 grams of heroin and conspiring to distribute more than 1,000 grams of heroin from October 1, 2015 to January 7, 2016 in Chambersburg, Franklin County and elsewhere.
The indictment was unsealed following the arrests of Bell and Morant on Wednesday. Delgado, Brito-Torres and Marte were arrested on Friday, January 8. Rashawn Spriggs, Deajon Spriggs and Joshua Baker were arrested last week on local charges related to the federal indictment and will appear in federal court for arraignment on January 20. All defendants are in custody.
The investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Franklin County Drug Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the heroin initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
If convicted the maximum penalty under federal law is life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum 10 year term of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
