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United States Attorney Peter J. Smith

Middle District of Pennsylvania

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PIO CONTACT: Dawn Mayko

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016 WORK: (717) 221-4458WWW.JUSTICE.GOV/USAO/PAM  CELL: (717) 649-3922

EMAIL: Dawn.Mayko@usdoj.gov

THREE MEN INDICTED FEDERALLY ON HEROIN RELATED CHARGES

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of

Pennsylvania announced today that Curtis Mitchell, age 37, Harrisburg, Eddie Viera, age 42,Shippensburg, and Brandon Brooks, age 26, York, were indicted in three separate cases today by

a federal grand jury in Harrisburg.

According to U.S. Attorney Peter Smith, Mitchell is charged with the sale of heroin and

 possession of a short-barreled shotgun. He was arrested by the Harrisburg Police Department at

his residence during the execution of a search warrant on November 16, 2015. Police had previously observed Mitchell allegedly selling heroin out of his home. During the search, police

allegedly found a short-barreled shotgun under Mitchell’s mattress. Short-barreled shotguns

violate the Federal Firearms Act if not properly registered, and, as a convicted felon, Mitchell is prohibited from possessing any firearm.

The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, andExplosives and the Harrisburg Police Department. The maximum penalty for this offense is up

to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.

Viera is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin. He wasarrested by the Pennsylvania State Police on February 15, 2016 near mile marker 77 of Interstate

81 after a high speed pursuit for nearly 20 miles. Along the route of the pursuit, Troopers found

over 950 individual packets of heroin which Viera allegedly had thrown out the window of hiscar. Viera was already the subject of an arrest warrant after members of the Franklin County

Drug Task Force observed him allegedly distributing heroin and found over 70 individual

 packets of heroin in his apartment in December 2014.

The matter was investigated by the Franklin County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania

State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The maximum penalty for this offense isup to 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.

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Brooks is charged with possession with the intent to distribute heroin. He was stopped by

West York Police for Driving Under the Influence on November 27, 2015. During the arrest,

officers found 9 bundles, or 90 individual packets, of heroin on Brooks.

The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the West York

Police Department and York County District Attorney’s Office. The maximum penalty for thisoffense is up to 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a

fine.

All three cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford.

These cases were brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide

epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’sOffice, the heroin initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of

Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement

agencies.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless

and until found guilty in court.

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.

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.

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