Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Oxycodone Distribution Conspiracy

Albany, New York – A 26-year-old man has admitted to fueling the opioid crisis in upstate New York through a calculated scheme to distribute hundreds of oxycodone pills across the region. Nicholas M. Signore, of Albany, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to distribute oxycodone, marking a grim milestone in the federal crackdown on prescription drug trafficking.

The plea, entered in the Northern District of New York, exposes a direct pipeline of illicit painkillers funneled from a co-conspirator directly into the hands of users and street-level dealers. Signore admitted to obtaining approximately 896 oxycodone tablets in 2015, a haul large enough to feed dozens of addiction cycles or supply a small-scale drug operation.

U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt of the DEA’s New York Division confirmed the charges, underscoring the ongoing federal focus on prescription drug networks that thrive in urban and suburban shadows. The DEA’s investigation peeled back layers of coordination between suppliers and distributors, with Signore now positioned as a key figure in the distribution chain.

When sentenced on April 20, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Signore faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a mandatory 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. While the final sentence will hinge on guidelines and judicial discretion, prosecutors emphasize the seriousness of flooding communities with highly addictive narcotics.

No plea deal specifics were disclosed, but the admission of guilt undercuts any defense of ignorance or minimal involvement. Signore’s actions, according to court filings, were part of a deliberate, unlawful agreement to profit from a substance that has ravaged families and overwhelmed emergency services.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman. As the opioid epidemic continues to strain public health and law enforcement resources, convictions like this serve as both warning and retribution for those turning addiction into enterprise.

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