Adelin Hernandez Amparo, a native of the Dominican Republic, has received a 41-month prison sentence after being convicted of cocaine distribution conspiracy, a serious charge in the ongoing battle against narcotics trafficking. The announcement, made by United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan, clarified that post-sentence, Hernandez Amparo would also be under federal supervised release for two years, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The investigation that led to Hernandez Amparo's sentencing was a combined effort by federal, state, and local agencies united under the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program in Beaver County, and it turned its focus on the Kijana Lowe drug trafficking operation, on November 8, 2021 law enforcement observed Hernandez Amparo at a Greyhound Bus Station, subsequently following him to a Coraopolis motel where a suitcase containing nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine was intercepted.
During the sentencing, United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV outlined the details of the case, revealing that Hernandez Amparo was caught in an operation that included surveillance and the execution of search warrants. The seized suitcase and a vehicle belonging to co-defendant Lowe were found to contain significant quantities of a Schedule II controlled substance and a substantial sum of money amounting to over $280,000, respectively. "The suitcase contained nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine," the U.S. Attorney's Office reported, substance control being a priority in the court's judgment.
In connection with the case, Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan J. McKenna and Kara Cotter represented the government and their efforts in court ultimately secured Hernandez Amparo's conviction, while Lowe faces his own day in court, pleading guilty to similar charges involving both cocaine and fentanyl, waiting for sentencing scheduled for March 12, 2025 but for now, the prosecutors have earned commendation by United States Attorney Olshan for their work leading to the successful prosecution of this particular case.
