An Allentown man described in court papers as a career drug offender was sentenced Friday to 10 years in federal prison for dealing methamphetamine in Bethlehem and Allentown.
Melvin Lloyd Houpe, 36, sold 54 grams of meth in February 2024 in Allentown, and 47 grams in March 2024 in Bethlehem, court records say.
He’s considered a career offender because he pleaded guilty to selling drugs in 2014 and 2007, according to a sentencing memorandum filed by his attorney, Maranna J. Meehan of Philadelphia.
Meehan says both convictions involved small amounts of drugs. In 2014, however, Houpe pleaded guilty to selling drugs on five different dates in 2012 and 2013 and ultimately was sentenced to one to five years in state prison on one count of distributing drugs in Lehigh County.
His 2007 conviction involved a three-gram bag of crack, Meehan wrote.
Family members wrote letters of support for Houpe, which helped convince U.S. District Judge John Gallaher to depart from a guideline recommendation to sentence Houpe anywhere between 21 and 27 years in prison.
The letter writers noted his troubled upbringing and medical condition. He was shot five times in the stomach in 2007, which required multiple surgeries and left him with short bowel syndrome. He suffered a stroke in 2010 which left him deaf in one ear, according to Meehan’s memorandum.
The 10-year sentence is the mandatory minimum required under the law, Meehan said in an email Monday.
“It is a significant sentence, but Mr. Houpe presented mitigation arguments for a variance for a sentence below the guideline range,” she wrote. “These arguments included Mr. Houpe’s strong family support, serious health issues and the fact that there was no evidence of violence, threats of violence or firearms in this case.”
His ex-wife said Houpe has made poor life decisions but is a caring father when he’s with their 17-year-old autistic son.
The prosecution’s sentencing memorandum was sealed. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office had no comment on the case.
Houpe’s 10-year federal prison sentence will run consecutive to whatever prison time he receives for violating his state parole, court records say.