ALBANY, NEW YORK – Esteban Ressy, aka “The Boss,” age 44, of Puerto Rico and Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to traffic a kilogram or more of heroin.  Ressy was one of nine people indicted in January 2019 as part of law enforcement’s dismantling of a heroin distribution ring in Schenectady.  With Ressy’s plea, all nine defendants have pled guilty. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett. 

In pleading guilty, Ressy admitted to being a member of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed a kilogram or more of heroin in Schenectady between 2017 and December 20, 2018.  Ressy, who lived in both Puerto Rico and Schenectady, was the leader of the Schenectady faction of the organization and regularly obtained hundreds of grams of heroin from Jean Carlos Rivera-Perez, aka “Tego,” in the Bronx, New York.  Ressy paid thousands of dollars in cash for the heroin, which was packaged for sale by other members of the organization, including Leamzy Soto Calderon, Linette Marie Soto, and Kristen Jansen, and sold in and around Schenectady.  

On December 20, 2018, law enforcement executed search warrants at Linett Soto’s residence in Schenectady, Soto Calderon and Jansen’s residence in Schenectady, and Rivera-Perez’ residence in the Bronx, and seized, among other items, approximately 268 grams of heroin, cutting agent, heroin processing materials, and $11,066 in cash. 

United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith stated: “Ressy, Rivera-Perez, and their co-conspirators sought to profit from the scourge of heroin, and now face many years in prison.  Dismantling this drug organization demonstrates our commitment to targeting traffickers who are fueling opioid addiction and its tragic consequences.”

“Ressy admitted to bringing deadly drugs into the city of Schenectady as he and his criminal organization preyed on the addictions and vulnerabilities of others,” said Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Buffalo.  “HSI continues to work in collaboration with state and local law enforcement to arrest those criminals operating in our communities with no regard for human life.”

New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett stated: “The success of this investigation is the direct result of the hard work and cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement, and I applaud our partners for their dedication to closing this case.  The disruption of this distribution ring serves as a reminder that we will not tolerate the trafficking of deadly, illegal drugs, and those who choose to profit from this activity will be held fully accountable.”

Ressy has four prior drug distribution convictions, including a 2002 conviction in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York for conspiring to distribute heroin. 

Ressy faces at least 15 years and up life in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 10 years and up to life, when he is sentenced on April 10, 2020 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.  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 following defendants have pled guilty and face the following terms of imprisonment:



Name





Age





Minimum





Maximum





Jean Carlos Rivera-Perez, aka “Tego”





37





10 years





Life





Daniel Garcia, aka “Danny”





34





10 years





Life





Linette Marie Soto





25





10 years





Life





Kristen Jansen





28





5 years





40 years





Patrick McNamara





48





None





20 years



The following defendants pled guilty and were sentenced to the following terms of imprisonment:



Name





Age





Term of imprisonment





Gregory Insogna





46





5 years





Leamzy Soto Calderon, aka “Lee,” aka “Gordo”





29





57 months





Jose Cortes-Cruz, aka “Bimbo”





29





1 year and 1 day



This case was investigated by HSI, the New York State Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Amsterdam Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck. 

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Carlos Rivera, age 43, of Chatham, New York, pled guilty on December 13 to possessing and intending to distribute cocaine and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Field Division.

Rivera admitted that on September 18, 2018, he possessed, at his residence in Chatham, approximately 480 grams of cocaine that he intended to distribute to others. He also admitted to possessing a Mossberg 535 12-gauge shotgun after having been convicted of a felony in New York.

Rivera faces up to 30 years in prison on the drug charge and up to 10 years in prison on the firearm charge, as well as a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 6 years, and a maximum fine of $2 million, when he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy on May 12, 2020.  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.

This case was investigated by the DEA and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy R. Anderson and Alicia Giglio Suarez.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jean Carlos Rivera-Perez, aka “Tego,” age 37, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to traffic a kilogram or more of heroin in Schenectady.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett. 

In pleading guilty, Rivera-Perez admitted to being a member of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed a kilogram or more of heroin in Schenectady between 2017 and December 20, 2018.  Rivera-Perez was the organization’s supplier and, through a courier, regularly delivered hundreds of grams of heroin from the Bronx to Schenectady, receiving thousands of dollars in return.  The heroin was then sold in personal-use amounts in and around Schenectady by other members of the organization. 

Rivera-Perez was one of nine people indicted earlier this year as part of law enforcement’s dismantling of the heroin distribution ring.  Six defendants, including Rivera-Perez, have pled guilty; the others are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Rivera-Perez faces at least 10 years and up life in prison, a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and a maximum fine of $10 million when he is sentenced on February 18, 2020, by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.  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.

This case was investigated by HSI, the New York State Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Amsterdam Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck. 

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jose Cortes-Cruz, aka “Bimbo,” age 28, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett. 

In pleading guilty, Cortes-Cruz admitted to being a member of a drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin in Schenectady between 2017 and December 20, 2018.  As a member of the organization, the defendant picked up heroin and delivered thousands of dollars in cash as payment.  The heroin was then sold in and around Schenectady. 

Cotes-Cruz faces up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life, and a maximum fine of $1 million.  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.

Cortez-Cruz was charged with eight other defendants in an indictment alleging a conspiracy to distribute heroin in Schenectady.  Four of Cortes-Cruz’s co-defendants, Leamzy Soto Calderon, aka “Lee,” aka “Gordo,” Linette Marie Soto, Kristen Jansen, and Gregory Insogna, have pled guilty.  Co-defendants Jean Carlos Rivera-Perez, aka, “Tego,” Esteban Ressy, aka “The Boss,” and Patrick McNamara are pending trial.  The final defendant, Daniel Garcia, aka “Danny,” is at large.  The charges in the indictment are merely accusations.  Rivera-Perez, Ressy, Garcia and McNamara, are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by HSI, the New York State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Amsterdam Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck. 

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nine people have been charged with operating a heroin distribution ring in Schenectady, New York.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Keith M. Corlett. 

The defendants arrested to date, all of whom are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, are:

Jean Carlos Rivera-Perez, aka “Tego,” age 44, of Bronx, New York;

Esteban Ressy, aka “The Boss,” age 43, of Schenectady and Puerto Rico;

Leamzy Soto Calderon, aka “Lee,” aka “Gordo,” age 28, of Schenectady;

Linette Marie Soto, age 24, of Schenectady;

Kristen Jansen, age 27, of Schenectady;

Jose Cortes-Cruz, aka “Bimbo,” age 28, of Schenectady;

Gregory Insogna, age 45, of Amsterdam, New York;

Patrick McNamara, age 47, of Amsterdam. 

 

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Ressy, who was arrested in Puerto Rico on January 8, 2019, faces at least 15 years and up to life in prison, and a maximum fine of $20 million. 

Rivera-Perez, Calderon, and Soto each face at least 10 years and up to life in prison, and a maximum fine of $10 million. 

Jansen and Insogna each face at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $5 million. 

Cortes-Cruz and McNamara each face up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. 

The group is alleged to have distributed over a kilogram of heroin in Schenectady between 2017 and December 2018.  In executing search warrants in Schenectady and the Bronx, law enforcement seized hundreds of grams of heroin, cash, and heroin-processing materials. 

This case is being investigated by HSI, the New York State Police, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Amsterdam Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.