Schenectady Man Sentenced to 15 Months for Dealing Firearms Without a License

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Sharma Sukdeo, age 21, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to serve 15 months in prison for dealing firearms without a license. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Division. 

Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also imposed a $3,000 fine and a 2-year term of supervised release, to begin after Sukdeo’s release from prison. 

Sukdeo was indicted on March 18, 2015 on one count of dealing firearms without a license and pled guilty on December 30.  According to the plea agreement, between September 18, 2014 and October 19, 2014, Sukdeo sold three firearms and ammunition to a person working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation: (1) a Glock Model 23 .40-caliber pistol and 13 bullets; (2) a Star Firestar Plus 9mm pistol; and (3) a Cobra Model FS .380-caliber handgun.  Each sale was completed at a convenience store in Schenectady.  As part of his plea agreement, Sukdeo admitted that he sold these firearms for profit and that he made the sales despite not being licensed to do so by the federal government or any state. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Capital District Safe Streets Task Force, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean O’Dowd and Kofi Sansculotte.