The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a man who was residing in Kissimmee, Florida, at the time of his arrest in September 2014 pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karoline Mehalchick in Scranton to participating in a heroin and cocaine trafficking conspiracy in Monroe and Wayne counties that involved using three of his children to distribute the drugs to customers.

According to U.S. Attorney Peter Smith, the defendant, Carlos Ruben Cruz, 48, who lived in Wayne and Monroe counties throughout much of the drug conspiracy, admitted to conspiring with others, including three of his children, to distribute heroin and cocaine between 2011 and 2014.Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Scranton in August 2014, as a result of an investigation by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, investigators from the Pennsylvania State Police, the Wayne County District Attorney's Office, and Pocono Mountain Regional Police.Three of Cruz's children, Rubie Cruz, 26; Tiffanyann Cruz, 21; and Brandon Cruz, 24, were also charged in the indictment and have previously pleaded guilty to participating in the drug conspiracy. They are all awaiting sentencing.Carlos Ruben Cruz faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. He will be sentenced at a later date by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Richard P. Conaboy after the completion of a presentence investigation. Cruz remains detained in custody pending sentencing.Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.