U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam | U.S. Department of Justice
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has announced that James P. Cullen V, 30, and Michelle L. Ferranti, 31, from Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, face charges from a federal grand jury related to fentanyl and heroin trafficking. The indictment includes allegations of distributing fentanyl resulting in three overdose deaths.
United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam stated that Cullen and Ferranti are accused of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin between April 2021 and February 27, 2023. They are specifically charged with distributing over 400 grams of fentanyl—approximately 16,000 potentially lethal doses. The indictment also claims they sourced drugs from New Jersey-based coconspirators, marketed them on the Darkweb under false names, and distributed them across the U.S. and abroad. Three individuals reportedly died from overdoses in Vermont, Georgia, and Alaska between October 2022 and February 2023; one victim was a juvenile in Alaska.
Special Agent Edward Owens of HSI Philadelphia commented on the arrests: “These indictments are a testament to the power of the interagency cooperation between HSI, the Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania State Police.” He commended all involved agencies for their work in removing "two dangerous drug traffickers" responsible for multiple overdose deaths.
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations alongside various law enforcement bodies including the United States Postal Inspection Service and state police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa H. Berti is handling prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming to reduce violent crime through community trust-building efforts alongside strategic law enforcement priorities.
Furthermore, this case aligns with a district-wide initiative targeting heroin distribution as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation which aims to dismantle high-level drug trafficking networks.
Federal penalties for overdose death charges include a minimum sentence of 20 years up to life imprisonment plus fines upon conviction following judicial review based on federal sentencing guidelines.
Indictments represent allegations only; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court proceedings.
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