SCRANTON, PA – Javier Guzman, 51, of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine, as announced by United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam. The plea was entered on September 20, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani.
Guzman admitted to possessing between 50 and 200 grams of high-quality crystal methamphetamine intended for distribution in Schuylkill County in 2022. The charge originates from an investigation in which purchases of the drug were made from Guzman in March 2022 in Schuylkill County.
The investigation that led to the charge against Guzman was carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative that unites various levels of law enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime and improve neighborhood safety. The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, to strengthen the program, focusing on community trust, prevention, targeted enforcement, and performance metrics.