JOHNSTOWN – A Clearfield woman pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Nicole Gaines, 42, of Clearfield pleaded guilty to count two of the superseding indictment before Senior U.S. District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, from July of 2019 to June of 2020, Gaines conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Gibson scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2022. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Gaines.
Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States.
OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.