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SCRANTON — A Wilkes-Barre man pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking part in a conspiracy to distribute bath salts in Luzerne County.

Daniel Fitzgibbon, 47, admitted that he agreed with others to distribute the drug, alpha-pvp, to customers during 2014 and 2015, authorities say. Fitzgibbon and others obtained the drug from suppliers in China and they used force, threats and intimidation as part of the conspiracy, according to U.S. Attorney Bruce Brandler.

Fitzgibbon, also known as “Diz,” was among seven people charged in a grand jury indictment in August 2016. The indictment was the fourth wave of arrests related to the distribution of the drug in the county. A total of 18 people have been charged since July 2013, including a Texas-based supplier of bath salts.

Fitzgibbon was the 15th person to plead guilty and is free pending sentencing Dec. 14 by Senior U.S. District Judge James Munley. Fitzgibbon faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania State Police and local police participated in the investigation.

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