Schuyler County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Chemicals Used to Manufacture Methamphetamine

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr,. announced today that Joseph Baudendistle, 38, of Odessa, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer to possession of chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Moynihan, who is handling the case, stated that  during the course of an investigation into the manufacturing of methamphetamine in the Southern Tier area of New York State, law enforcement officers learned that Baudendistle purchased in excess of nine grams of ephedrine base products within a 30 day period, a violation of the United States drug laws. The defendant visited four different pharmacies in Watkins Glen, N.Y. and Montour Falls, N.Y. between January of 2011 and February of 2012 and purchased in excess of the permitted amount of Sudafed and Suphedrine.

Baudendistle was arrested in August of 2012, along with Khristine Bedient, Robert Getman, Jr., Margaret Shermer and Joshua Watson. He is the second defendant to be convicted. Joshua Watson was convicted of a similar charge on January 24, 2013 and will be sentenced on March 28, 2013.
       
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Schuyler County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Joseph Fazzari, Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Brian R. Crowell, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Division, the Schuyler County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff William Yessman, and the Watkins Glen Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas R. Struble.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Larimer.