Dominican man sentenced in drug trafficking case

SCRANTON, Pa. – On March 19, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, unlawfully present in the United States, was sentenced to 80 months’ imprisonment and a four-year term of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute heroin and crystal methamphetamine, following a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, and the Pennsylvania State Police.

Willis DeLaRosa-Baez, 34, was sentenced March 14, on the aforementioned charges. DeLaRosa-Baez, his co-defendant, Daniel Silvestre-Ubri, and other individuals conspired to distribute heroin and crystal methamphetamine in Pennsylvania between February 4, 2016, and April 6, 2016. DeLaRosa-Baez admitted to supplying other drug dealers with narcotics, and to trafficking in excess of 2.6 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 3 kilograms of heroin, the latter of which is the equivalent of 120,000 potentially fatal doses of heroin.

DeLaRosa-Baez was indicted on May 17, 2016, and has remained in custody since his arrest on June 22, 2016. His co-defendant, Silvestre-Ubri, also has remained in custody since his arrest on March 22, 2018, after pleading guilty, he is awaiting sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.