Another Shenandoah man has admitted participating for three years in a heroin distribution ring in Schuylkill County.
Thomas Nestor, 38, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Scranton to conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.
Senior U.S. District Judge James M. Munley accepted Nestor’s plea, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for July 28. Nestor faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years and could spend as many as 40 years behind bars.
A federal grand jury in Scranton indicted Nestor on Sept. 8, 2015.
Federal prosecutors alleged Nestor was involved in distributing and possessing with intent to distribute between 400 and 700 grams, which is equivalent to between 13,000 and 23,000 retail bags, of heroin from 2012 to September 2015. Nestor admitted distributing heroin and traveling with conspirators to obtain it, according to prosecutors.
U.S. Attorney Peter J. Smith brought Nestor’s case as part of an initiative across the Middle District of Pennsylvania to combat the nationwide epidemic of heroin distribution and use. The initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the district and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
The FBI, Pennsylvania State Police and Shenandoah police investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.
Nestor became the sixth Shenandoah man to plead guilty in connection with the heroin ring. The other five are Carlos Correa, Paul Jadus, Rhasean Strange, Nicolai Varga and Derek Yashinsky.