Eric Raheem Pierce, a 38-year-old resident of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and possessing a stolen firearm. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley on February 13, 2026.
United States Attorney Brian D. Miller stated that Pierce distributed about 35 grams of fentanyl during several controlled drug purchases. On the day he was arrested, he attempted to discard 25 bricks of heroin and an additional 23 grams of fentanyl. Authorities also found him in possession of a stolen firearm during an earlier encounter with law enforcement.
The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd prosecuted the case.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America,” according to information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that uses resources from the Department of Justice to address illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime perpetrators. More details about this initiative can be found at https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline.
Additionally, this prosecution falls under a district-wide effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office known as the Heroin Initiative. This program targets heroin traffickers in the Middle District of Pennsylvania through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies aimed at locating and prosecuting individuals involved in heroin-related offenses.
