Schenectady Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Gun and Drug Crimes

ALBANY, NEW YORK – James Haskins, age 43, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced on Friday, June 21 to 15 years in prison for possessing and intending to distribute crack cocaine, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Special Agent in Charge John B. DeVito of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), New York Field Division.

In pleading guilty, Haskins admitted that on April 11, 2018, he possessed 152 grams of crack cocaine and a .380 caliber pistol and ammunition in Schenectady.  He further admitted that he intended to distribute the crack cocaine to others in exchange for cash, and he possessed the firearm to protect his crack and drug proceeds from potential robbers.

Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue sentenced Haskins to 10 years in prison on the drug charge and 5 years in prison on the firearm charge, to be run consecutively.  He also sentenced Haskins to 5 years of supervised release to begin following his term of imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the ATF and Schenectady County Sherriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Giglio Suarez.