Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Donald Jackson, age 33, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on June 12, 2019, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Jackson distributed cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, possessed with intent to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine, and illegally possessed a Ruger 9mm pistol in furtherance of drug trafficking and as a previously convicted felon.

The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Mobile Street Crimes Unit with assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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 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 guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the drug trafficking offenses is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum sentence for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking is life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum sentence for possessing a as a convicted felon is 10 years in prison, 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.

###