Ringleader of drug trafficking ring in Centre County sentenced to at least a decade in prison
A man described by Pennsylvania prosecutors as the ringleader of a group that brought a significant amount of illegal drugs into Centre County was sentenced Monday to at least a decade in state prison.
Larry L. Thomas Jr., 30, of Philadelphia, was sentenced by Centre County Judge Julia Rater to at least 12 1/2 years in state prison. His maximum sentence is 25 years. He received credit for about 11 months served in jail.
Thomas pleaded guilty to six felonies, including a charge prosecutors often use to target organized crime. He was one of nearly a dozen people arrested in connection with the ring.
“This defendant directed a network of co-conspirators to distribute poisons in the State College area — even continuing to pull the strings while he was incarcerated,” Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement. “These addictive substances take lives and destroy communities. Thanks to the hard work of our office, our law enforcement partners, and the members of the Grand Jury, this man is being held accountable for his crimes.”
Defense lawyer Karen Muir said Thursday the plea agreement was a “good resolution for a difficult situation.” She added it should allow him to see his family once released.
Thomas trafficked methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine from June 2021 through February 2023, investigators wrote in an affidavit of probable cause. He and others would bring the drugs to Centre County from Philadelphia.
A grand jury presentment detailed at least 10 locations drugs were sold, including near Talleyrand Park, several gas stations and private residences. The drug ring trafficked up to a pound of meth per month.
While incarcerated, Thomas was accused of directing who would receive and sell drugs, how they would pay for them and how they would be delivered. Investigators discovered the information after listening to recorded jail telephone calls.
Fentanyl is an opioid painkiller many times more powerful than heroin, and is typically prescribed to treat severe pain. It frequently appears as an illegal street drug mixed with other substances, such as heroin. Experts say the growing prevalence of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply is a top driver of the increasing number of overdose deaths in the U.S.
