TROY MAN SENTENCED TO 100 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR THE
ATTEMPTED MANUFACTURE OF METHAMPHETAMINE

Thomas A. Marino, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that Bradley Ostrander, a/k/a Bradley Brown, age 37, of Troy, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Richard P. Conaboy to 100 months’ imprisonment for the attempted manufacture of methamphetamine in Bradford County, Pennsylvania.

According to U.S. Attorney Marino, a grand jury sitting in Scranton indicted Brown on October 27, 2005, on three different criminal offenses involving conspiracy and attempt to manufacture methamphetamine.

On June 4, 2004, Pennsylvania State Police discovered a clandestine laboratory for manufacturing methamphetamine on property owned by Linda Brown in West Burlington Township, Bradford County. Numerous items used to “cook” methamphetamine were found at the location, including cans of starting fluid, drain opener, a fitting for a propane tank with a rubber hose, binoculars, walkie-talkies, a scanner, night vision goggles, global positioning satellite, Taser, and a .22 caliber Rohm RC2 starter pistol. A bread container filled with waste from manufacturing methamphetamine was discovered wrapped in a green tarp near the other paraphernalia. Troopers found Bradley Brown and Melissa Thompson (also convicted and sentenced before Judge Conaboy) present along with another individual not involved in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Troopers searched Thompson and found a recipe for cooking methamphetamine in her purse. Through interviews, investigators determined that Thompson had supplied necessary materials to Brown on other occasions, enabling him to manufacture methamphetamine. The clandestine methamphetamine lab was dismantled by a private company under contract with the Pennsylvania State Police, and the hazardous waste was removed. The Pennsylvania State Police laboratory later determined that the chemicals recovered were being used to produce methamphetamine.

U.S. Attorney Marino noted that on November 16, 2003, Judge Conaboy conducted a sentencing hearing during which he heard arguments and testimony on various objections that Brown had raised regarding his sentencing range under the federal sentencing guidelines. Brown had objected to his sentence’s being increased for various enhancements under those guidelines, including the amount of drugs applicable to his conduct; whether the offense involved the use of a dangerous weapon; and whether the manufacturing of methamphetamine created a substantial risk of harm to human life or the environment. Judge Conaboy denied these objections and specifically found that Brown was involved in manufacturing at least 822 grams of methamphetamine. Judge Conaboy then sentenced Brown to serve 100 months in a federal prison. Following service of his prison term, Brown will be placed on supervised for three years.

U.S. Attorney Marino noted that under the United States Sentencing Guidelines currently in effect, parole has been abolished, and Brown will be required to serve at least 85% of his sentence, assuming he receives full time off for good behavior while in prison. Brown will be serving the sentence at an institution designated by the United States Bureau of Prisons.

This case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley.

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