Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years for Moving Kilograms of Drugs Through the Lehigh Valley

 PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Miguel Gonzalez Segovia, 31, of Veracruz, Mexico, was sentenced to ten years in prison, five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. for trafficking drugs in the Lehigh Valley in November 2018.

In September 2019, Gonzalez Segovia pleaded guilty to the charge of possession with intent to distribute 69 kilograms cocaine, 14 kilograms of fentanyl, and 4 kilograms of acetyl fentanyl (a fentanyl analogue). According to court documents, the defendant was stopped by a Pennsylvania State Trooper while driving on Interstate 78 in Northampton County, and was evasive in answering questions and provided conflicting information about his destination and purpose for traveling through Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Trooper also observed nine large suitcases stacked inside the rented vehicle the defendant was driving.

After searching the vehicle and one of the suitcases to reveal approximately 50 pounds of substances including cocaine, fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, Gonzalez Segovia was placed under arrest and interviewed by Pennsylvania State Police. He admitted that this was the fourth time he had driven the same drug delivery route across Pennsylvania for individuals in California, and explained that they would load drugs between furniture in moving trucks in California and drive it to the East Coast for delivery in different locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

“Gonzalez Segovia and other members of this drug organization moved huge quantities of dangerous drugs through and into our community,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “These traffickers essentially delivered destruction to every state, city and town where these deadly drugs ultimately landed. Our office is determined to investigate and convict these criminals, and put them behind bars.”

“Segovia pleaded guilty and was responsible for trafficking 69 kilograms of cocaine and 18 kilograms of illicit fentanyl across the Lehigh Valley area.  These are substantial amounts of dangerous and potentially deadly illicit drugs,” said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division.  “Working with our partners at the Pennsylvania State Police, Segovia will no longer be able to distribute these poisons that ruin our communities and destroy countless lives.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Allentown Resident Office and the Pennyslvania State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly A. Lewis Fallenstein.