Luzerne County Man Sentenced To 151 Months’ Imprisonment For Drug Trafficking And Firearm Offenses

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ricky Charles Patterson, age 45, a resident of Plymouth, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 151 months' imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on May 2, 2025, ATF agents served a federal search warrant at Patterson's residence in Plymouth, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Pursuant to the warrant, agents seized fentanyl, methamphetamine, and a loaded Smith & Wesson revolver. Patterson, a previously convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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