DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT

Thomas A. Marino, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that Tarik McNish, a/k/a “Bear,” age 25, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Thomas I. Vanaskie to serve an eight-year sentence of imprisonment for his possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

On January 11, 2005, a federal grand jury indicted McNish on four counts of crack cocaine distribution. The indictment followed an intensive investigation targeting cocaine and heroin traffickers operating in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The investigation designated “Operation Speed Wash” was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and Drug Control (BNI), the Scranton Police Department, the Lackawanna County Drug Task Force, and the United States Marshal’s Service. United States Attorney Marino noted that all 28 of the defendants charged in the case have been convicted on pleas of guilty.

FBI and state agents arrested McNish after conducting three “controlled buys” of crack cocaine from him in South Scranton, and after executing a search warrant at his second floor residence located at 1333 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Scranton, Pennsylvania. The January 10, 2005 search resulted in the seizure of 10 grams of crack cocaine, $1000 and small quantities of marijuana and heroin.

United States Attorney Marino noted that under the United States Sentencing Guidelines currently in effect, parole has been abolished, and McNish will be required to serve at least 85% of his eight-year sentence, assuming he receives full time off for good behavior while incarcerated. In addition to the eight-year sentence of imprisonment, Judge Vanaskie ordered McNish to be supervised by a Probation Officer for four years after serving his jail term.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus.

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