Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Henry Morales, age 23; Jorge Santiago, age 19; Fernando Rodriguez, age 20; and Ronald Grover, age 23, all of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, were indicted on February 14, 2018, by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to burglarize a pharmacy, burglary of a pharmacy, conspiracy to possess stolen firearms, and possession of stolen firearms. Morales and Santiago were also charged with being felons in possession of firearms. The case was unsealed following the arrest of defendants.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that the defendants broke into the Medicine Shoppe located in Lebanon, Pennsylvania on January 17, 2018, and stole various medications to include cough syrup with codeine. The defendants then traveled to the Horseshoe Pike Gunshop in Palmyra, where they broke into the building and stole 12 handguns.

This matter was investigated by the Lebanon Police Department, the Palmyra Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of opioids. 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.

This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the

reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

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 this offense is 45 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.

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