SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Deshaun Lipscomb, age 24, of Bushkill, Pennsylvania, Pablo Martinez, age 27, and Orrett Campbell, age 37, both of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, were indicted on February 7, 2017, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
The indictment was unsealed today following the arrests of defendants. The defendants were arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. and were ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for February 13, 2017.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Lipscomb, Martinez, and Campbell conspired to traffic marijuana and used firearms during the course of that conspiracy. The charges stem from a drug deal that turned into a shooting in East Stroudsburg in January 2016. The victim of the shooting suffered two gunshot wounds and was forced from a vehicle travelling at high speed.
The indictment further alleges that Lipscomb possessed a firearm in furtherance of heroin trafficking and trafficked heroin and cocaine, and that Martinez trafficked MDAM, commonly known as “Molly” or “ecstasy.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francis P. Sempa and Sean A. Camoni.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
This case was also 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 to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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.
The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life 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.
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