FORMER DUPONT BOROUGH AND PITTSTON TOWNSHIP POLICE OFFICER
PLEADS GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT

Martin C. Carlson, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that a former part-time police officer employed by Dupont Borough and Pittston Township pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court.

Charles Byra, Jr., formerly of Pittston Township, Pennsylvania, entered a guilty plea yesterday before United States District Judge Richard Conaboy to distribution of crack cocaine and possession of a stolen firearm.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Carlson, at the time of Byra’s guilty plea, Byra admitted stealing a firearm and a quantity of crack cocaine which were stored as evidence at the Dupont Borough and Pittston Township Police Departments. Byra also admitted distributing the crack cocaine to an informant who was cooperating with investigators. The firearm stolen by Byra was transferred by him to another person who later sold the weapon to a drug trafficker. The drug trafficker who received the weapon was identified by investigators and was also prosecuted in federal court. The stolen firearm was recovered during the investigation.

At Byra’s plea hearing yesterday, Judge Conaboy noted that Byra faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for April 15, 2008.

This case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department and the Dupont Borough Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Houser.

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