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SCRANTON &mdash; A Hazleton man who pleaded guilty to heading a drug ring in Luzerne County was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison.
				Gimy Rodriguez, 28, also known as &ldquo;Carvo,&rdquo; must also serve five years of supervised release upon the completion of his 262-month sentence.
				U.S. District Judge Robert Mariani on Thursday sentenced Rodriguez for his guilty in September 2019 to engaging in a conspiracy and other charges involving the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine throughout Luzerne County. Rodriguez was the leader of multiple co-conspirators and maintained hubs of operation in Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre, said U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania David Freed.
				Previously sentenced as co-conspirators in the drug ring were:
				&#8226; Andrew J. Danko, 68 months.
				&#8226; Angela Haggerty, 37 months.
				&#8226; Hector Delacruz, 51 months.
				The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case. 
				The charges were brought as part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The Task Force is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking. The U.S. Attorney&rsquo;s Office said the Task Force is the nation&rsquo;s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
				The case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
				In addition, it was undertaken under the district-wide initiative to combat the nationwide heroin epidemic. Led by the United States Attorney&rsquo;s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin-related offenses.

Hazleton drug ring leader gets more than 21 years in prison