News Release [print-friendly version]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2009
Contact: Erin Mulvey
Public Information Officer
Phone: 212-337-2906

MAR 24 -- SYRACUSE, NY - JOHN P. GILBRIDE, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Field Division (“DEA”), ANDREW T. BAXTER, Acting United States Attorney, Northern District of New York, announced a jury has found defendant IVAN PLAZA-ANDRADES, aka “Goyito,” guilty on charges of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distributing over 5 kilograms of cocaine in and around the Syracuse area from July to November, 2007. The jury reached their verdict Friday, March 20, 2009, after a five day trial in United States District Court in Utica, NY.

The evidence at trial showed that PLAZA-ANDRADES arranged to have kilogram shipments of cocaine sent from Puerto Rico to Syracuse in Express Mail boxes from the United States Postal Service approximately 11 times from July to November, 2007. The defendant would break down the cocaine and distribute or sell it to mid-level seller/distributors who, in turn, sold the cocaine to street-level buyers.

The defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and could get up to life imprisonment, as well as a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release.

This successful prosecution resulted from a joint investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Department of Justice.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman. Further questions or inquiries may be directed to AUSA Carla Freedman at (315) 448-0672.