The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James P. Cullen V, 30, and Michelle L. Ferranti, 31, both of Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on various fentanyl and heroin trafficking charges, including for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the deaths of three individuals.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to distribute fentanyl and heroin between April 2021 and February 27, 2023. Cullen and Ferranti specifically were charged with distributing in excess of 400 grams of fentanyl, which is the equivalent of approximately 16,000 potentially lethal individual doses of fentanyl.
The indictment also alleges that Cullen and Ferranti obtained fentanyl and heroin from other coconspirators located in New Jersey, marketed the narcotics on the Darkweb, and then used fabricated names to distribute the narcotics.
Cullen and Ferranti allegedly mailed fentanyl and heroin to nearly every state in the United States and several foreign countries.
As a result, it is alleged that three different individuals located in Vermont, Georgia, and Alaska overdosed and died from the fentanyl between October 2022 and February 2023. The individual in Alaska was a juvenile.
In addition, Cullen and Ferranti are charged with distributing fentanyl and heroin on four other occasions between November 2022 and February 2023.
The indictment remained under seal until both defendants were arrested. Cullen and Ferranti remain in custody pending their trial.
“These indictments are a testament to the power of the interagency cooperation between HSI, the Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania State Police,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward Owens.
Owens added, “The agents and officers have removed two dangerous drug traffickers from our streets, who were responsible for three overdose deaths across the United States. The dismantlement of this drug trafficking organization ensures the safety of the general public. I commend HSI, their law enforcement partners, and the prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Middle District of Pennsylvania for their tireless work on this case.”
The penalties under federal law for the most serious overdose death charges are a minimum of 20 years and a maximum life term of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
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.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
