Hanover Township Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Drug Trafficking and Gun Possession While on Probation

A Hanover Township man will serve 15 years in federal prison following his conviction on drug trafficking and firearms charges. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 43-year-old Christopher Essameddin Birry was sentenced on July 9 by U.S. District Judge Julia K. Munley after distributing methamphetamine across Luzerne County and later being caught with fentanyl and a loaded firearm during a traffic stop.

Birry’s drug activity occurred between May and July of 2023, primarily in the Wilkes-Barre area. Authorities arrested him in September 2023 after he fled a vehicle stop in Olyphant, Lackawanna County. Upon apprehension, officers discovered he was in possession of distribution quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, along with a loaded handgun. Because of prior felony drug trafficking convictions, Birry was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. At the time of his arrest, he was also serving probation for a previous drug conviction.

This prosecution is part of “Operation Take Back America,” a Department of Justice initiative aimed at eliminating drug cartels and violent crime. The operation involves coordination among multiple agencies including the FBI, Luzerne County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police, and Olyphant Police Department. The goal of the initiative is to bolster community safety by targeting repeat offenders and organized drug activity. For residents of Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties, this sentencing represents a step toward reducing local drug trafficking and its associated violence.

Article by multiple contributors, based upon information from a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

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