York Man Sentenced To Over 18 Years’ Imprisonment For Drug Trafficking

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 27, 2021, Brandon Orr, a/k/a "B Orr," age 29, of York, was sentenced to 224 months' imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for conspiring to distribute over a kilogram of heroin laced with fentanyl and five kilograms of cocaine while on federal supervision for a prior 2015 drug conviction.

The sentence consisted of 200 months' imprisonment for the drug trafficking offenses and a consecutive sentence of 24 months' imprisonment for violating his federal supervision from a 34-month sentence for distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, heroin and marijuana.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the investigation began with an overdose death in the City of York on December 2, 2017. Investigators connected the death to heroin laced with fentanyl sold by Lamar Johnson. They further determined that Luis Minier and Orr were bringing kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine into York on a weekly basis from September 2017 until December 2017. A kilogram of heroin is the equivalent of approximately 40,000 individual doses of heroin. Police seized over 700 grams of heroin and a kilogram of cocaine during police searches in December 2017.

Coconspirators Luis Minier, a/k/a "Cito," age 29, of York, entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking and was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment; Javiel Snellings, age 28, of York, entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking and was sentenced to two years of probation; and, Lamar Johnson, age 33, of York, entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking and is awaiting sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Capitol Safe Streets Task Force, which included representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the York County Drug Task Force, and Springettsbury Township Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.

These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department's renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney's Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney's Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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