On April 23, a New York judge sentenced a 32-year-old man to 10 years in prison for his role in a Syracuse drug trafficking operation. The defendant was the last of 52 people to be sentenced for participating in the drug ring.
According to authorities, the defendant helped run a large drug trafficking operation that sold heroin, cocaine and other illicit substances in central New York. The ring’s distribution area included the counties of Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, Oswego and St. Lawrence. During an investigation into the ring, law enforcement officers reportedly seized over 2 kilograms of cocaine, over 20 grams of loose heroin, 1,128 envelopes of heroin, ecstasy pills, psychedelic mushrooms, drug paraphernalia and over $3,600 in cash. They also said they confiscated five loaded firearms. Authorities used ballistics testing to determine that one of the firearms was used in approximately 13 separate shooting cases in the Syracuse area over a two-year period.
The 52 defendants faced a total of 370 criminal charges, including various drug charges. Thirty of the defendants were believed to be members of Syracuse street gangs. Of those, nine were charged with conspiracy to commit murder for plotting the deaths of rival gang members.
Drug trafficking, drug possession and other drug crimes can have serious consequences for those who are convicted. A defendant facing such charges might be able to obtain a better outcome with the help of a criminal defense attorney. In some cases, an attorney may work with a defendant to develop a strong defense against the accusations, which might lead to an acquittal. In other cases, it may be possible to arrange a plea deal that reduces the severity of the charges.
Source: Syracuse, “NY AG: Supplier of Syracuse-based heroin ring sentenced to 10 years in prison,” Patrick Lohmann, April 23, 2018