Jury Convicts Albany Man of Drug Charge

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Tyler Purvis-Mitchell, age 27, of Albany, was convicted on Friday of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine following a four-day jury trial.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Eric Hawkins, Albany Police Department.

The evidence at trial established that on May 7, 2020, Purvis-Mitchell possessed with the intent to distribute more than 125 pills containing methamphetamine, in his residence and his vehicle. The pills weighed more than 50 grams in total.

Purvis-Mitchell faces a minimum of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life when United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentences him on April 20, 2022. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The jury voted to acquit Purvis-Mitchell of two felony charges for possession of a firearm as a felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

This case was investigated by the Albany Police Department and ATF, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emmet J. O’Hanlon and Alexander Wentworth-Ping.