Lackawanna County Man Sentenced To 151 Months Of Imprisonment For Drug Trafficking

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Emmanuel Batista, age 32, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 1, 2024, to 151 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E Mannion, for drug trafficking charges.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Batista owned and operated DMB Dumpster and Construction Company, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Between November 2022 and January 2023, Batista used this company as a front for his drug distribution.  Law enforcement made multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from a subordinate drug dealer working for Batista.  Batista also made large amounts of methamphetamine available for purchase during this time.  Batista used a vacant property that he was allegedly remodeling as a stash house for his drugs. He also would pay some of his employees in drugs.  In a three-month period, Batista was responsible for distributing over 400 grams of fentanyl.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Narcotics Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts and Senior Deputy Attorney General Michelle Hardik prosecuted the case.

This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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