Schuylkill County Man Pleads Guilty To Methamphetamine Trafficking

 SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Shaquane Scott, age 31, of Frackville, Schuylkill County, pleaded guilty on October 27, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Karoline Mehalchick, for distribution of methamphetamine.        

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Scott admitted to distributing between 50 and 150 grams of highly-pure crystal methamphetamine in the Schuylkill County area over a several-week period in February and March 2019.  Scott’s girlfriend, Samantha Blume, age 28, of Frackville, was also indicted in September 2019 for methamphetamine trafficking.  Blume’s charges are still pending.

Magistrate Judge Mehalchick ordered that a presentence report be completed.  Sentencing will be scheduled before United States District Court Judge Malachy Mannion at a later date.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is 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.  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 enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.

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 charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.  The maximum sentence under federal law is up to 40 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.