Related Federal Cases
- Lackawanna Man Gets 60 Months for Cocaine Conspiracy · Puerto Rico
- Bronx Tax Preparer Flor Soto Gets 87 Months for $24M Fraud · Puerto Rico
- Manchester Narc Boss Slammed with 70-Year Sentence for Cocaine Smuggling · Puerto Rico
- Pittsburgh Heroin Dealer Clinton Robinson Gets 8 Years · Puerto Rico
- Hector Urena Gets 54 Months for Stolen Identity Tax Fraud · Puerto Rico
Cocaine Pipeline: Calcano-Carrasquillo Gets 10 Years
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – A major link in a cross-country cocaine pipeline is off the streets. Alex Calcano-Carrasquillo, 44, of Puerto Rico, was sentenced yesterday to a decade in federal prison after admitting to laundering money and conspiring to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine into Onondaga County. The bust is the latest fallout from a sprawling investigation targeting a sophisticated drug trafficking operation.
According to court documents, from July 2021 through July 2024, Calcano-Carrasquillo acted as a key supplier, receiving payments from co-conspirators and then mailing packages brimming with cocaine from Puerto Rico to addresses in Syracuse. These addresses were supplied by Juan Correa, Sr., further cementing the organized nature of the scheme. Authorities seized over 20 kilograms of the deadly drug linked directly to Calcano-Carrasquillo’s shipments.
Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby didn’t just stop at the 10-year prison sentence. Calcano-Carrasquillo will also face a 5-year term of supervised release upon his eventual release. This isn’t an isolated conviction; co-defendant Juan Correa, Jr. previously received a 7-year sentence. Juan Correa, Sr., and Ashley Correa have already pled guilty and are awaiting their own sentencing dates, indicating a wider network is being dismantled.
“Bringing the Puerto Rican source of supply in this conspiracy to justice for his role in flooding our local streets with poison for years is a testament to the close collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies up and down the East Coast,” stated Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “No stone will be left unturned in our pursuit of these sophisticated drug trafficking organizations.” The DEA’s Special Agent in Charge, Frank A. Tarentino III, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the agency’s focus on severing drug pipelines originating from sources like Puerto Rico.
The investigation, a joint effort by the DEA, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Syracuse Police Department, highlights the multi-agency approach needed to combat large-scale drug operations. “Calcano-Carrasquillo is just another predator who chose to bring highly addictive drugs into our neighborhoods,” stated Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation New York. Even the Postal Inspection Service weighed in, noting the organization’s use of the U.S. Mail to facilitate their criminal activity. Syracuse Police Chief Joseph L. Cecile praised the partnership, stating, “Law Enforcement is never stronger than when we partner together.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Brown prosecuted the case, which falls under the umbrella of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF is dedicated to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these types of criminal enterprises, signaling a continued commitment to tackling drug trafficking at all levels. The streets of Syracuse are a little less poisoned today, but the fight is far from over.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
