Another Shenandoah man admitted Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Scranton that he participated in a heroin trafficking ring for almost four years in Schuylkill County.
Derek Yashinsky, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, becoming the fifth Shenandoah man to admit participating in the drug trafficking ring.
Senior U.S. District Judge James M. Munley accepted Yashinsky’s plea, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for May 11. Yashinsky faces at least five, and as many as 40, years in prison as part of his sentence.
Yashinsky admitted distributing heroin and transporting other drug traffickers on several occasions to Paterson, New Jersey, and Hazleton to procure large amounts of heroin.
Prosecutors said Yashinsky participated in transporting and distributing between 400 grams and 700 grams of heroin, which is equivalent to between 13,000 and 17,000 retail bags of heroin.
A federal grand jury in Scranton indicted Yashinsky on Sept. 8, 2015, for his role in the conspiracy.
The FBI, Pennsylvania State Police and local police in Schuylkill County investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.
Four of Yashinsky’s co-defendants, Rhasean Strange, Carlos Correa, Nicolai Varga and Paul Jadus, all of Shenandoah, already have pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy. Three other co-defendants are awaiting trial in the case.
U.S. Attorney Peter J. Smith brought the case as part of a initiative across the Middle District of Pennsylvania to combat the nationwide epidemic of heroin distribution and use. The initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the district and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.