Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 30, 2019, United States Senior District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo sentenced Al Dunlap, age 29, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to 108 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, for heroin trafficking and firearms offenses.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, between November 2015 and February 2016, Dunlap was a member of a drug ring that distributed heroin and crack cocaine in the Wilkes-Barre area. Dunlap sold narcotics on several occasions to confidential informants, and a search warrant of his residence recovered significant quantities of narcotics and several firearms. Dunlap admitted to distributing over 100 grams of heroin, which is equivalent to approximately 4,000 potentially fatal doses of heroin, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug dealing activities. Dunlap also was held responsible for being a manager and supervisor of the drug ring. As part of the sentence, Judge Caputo forfeited Dunlap’s interest in the firearms and ammunition seized from his residence.

Three other members of the drug ring previously were sentenced by Judge Caputo:

• Davon Beckford, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to time served of approximately 13 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release. After violating the terms of his supervised release, Beckford was sentenced to an additional six months of imprisonment.
• Jaquan Henderson, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
• Stephanie Walter, of Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to two years of probation.

Two remaining defendants, Truman Jones and Na’Deardra Mayhams, are scheduled for trial on December 9, 2019.

The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and by the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.

The 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.

The 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 to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

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