Pittsburgh Review

A resident of Rochester, Pennsylvania, Roberto Muniz Sanchez, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for his involvement in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Following his prison term, Sanchez will also undergo three years of supervised release. The sentencing took place on January 8, 2025, as announced by United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan.

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab delivered the sentence after considering the evidence presented to the court. Sanchez was part of an organized drug trafficking group that obtained large quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico via United States Postal Service parcels and distributed them in western Pennsylvania and other areas.

From October 2023 to March 2024, Sanchez conspired with leaders of the drug trafficking organization to distribute cocaine around Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. During this period, he purchased cocaine on several occasions for distribution and personal use.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler on behalf of the United States government. The investigation leading to Sanchez's conviction was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration in collaboration with multiple agencies including the Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and others.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations threatening the United States through a multi-agency approach.

Lawrence County is designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy since July 2022, which provides it with federal resources to combat drug trafficking effectively.