Reading man who ran drug ring sentenced to federal prison

A Reading man was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison Monday after earlier pleading guilty to running a drug trafficking operation out of his home.

Luis Gomez, 33, had pleaded guilty to possessing crystal meth — a large quantity of which was found in his home during a raid — and felony possession of a firearm, since a previous conviction had prohibited him from carrying one.

He was also sentenced to five years supervised probation and a $2,000 fine by U.S. District Court Judge Edward G. Smith.

At the conclusion of a long-term investigation led by the FBI and state police into methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine trafficking in the Reading area, Gomez was arrested in September 2019 during the execution of a federal search warrant at his Reading home, officials said.

Inside Gomez’s bedroom, FBI agents recovered about 1 pound of crystal methamphetamine along with an extended firearm magazine containing 26 rounds of live 9mm ammunition and a bulletproof vest, officials said. About 2 additional pounds of crystal methamphetamine were recovered in separate bedrooms of the house, along with drug paraphernalia and a loaded 9mm pistol in the living room.

Following forensic analysis at the FBI laboratory, Gomez’s DNA profile was identified on the pistol, officials said. Because of a prior felony conviction for drug dealing, Gomez was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.

Five other defendants were arrested in connection with this investigation, and more than 65 pounds of methamphetamine and three additional firearms were seized in the same month.

“This defendant personally threatened the safety of his neighbors in Reading, and all communities in our district, through his dangerous and illegal actions,” said U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams in a press release.

“Gomez stashed drugs in his home and illegally possessed a weapon to further his drug-dealing business. Thanks to the steady, determined efforts of investigators at the FBI and Pennsylvania State Police, the defendant and his co-conspirators’ operation was permanently shut down.”

Gomez pleaded guilty Oct. 14 and has been in federal custody since his arrest in September 2019.