The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a third Monroe County man pleaded guilty today in United States District Court in Scranton, before Senior United States District Judge Edwin M. Kosik, to the charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Fred Baumgartner, 34, of Kresgeville, admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Monroe County area in 2013 and 2014.

Baumgartner was one of seven people indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2014, after a several month investigation conducted jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department and the Stroud Regional Police Department regarding methamphetamine trafficking in Monroe County.

Previously, Scott Borushak, 51, and Emmanuel Tucker, 39, both of Stroudsburg, pleaded guilty and admitted to participating in the same methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.

In addition, Jeannine Altemose, 53, of Stroudsburg, previously entered a guilty plea and admitted to allowing methamphetamine to be stored and distributed from her residence.

The charges against the remaining defendants are pending.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O'Hara.

The maximum penalty under federal law is 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.