Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Importing Controlled Substance

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Damon J. Murray, age 27, of Albany, pleaded guilty today to importing the controlled substance ethylone into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas DiNicola.

Murray will face a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, a maximum fine of $2 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 6 years and up to life when he is sentenced on February 11, 2016 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.

Ethylone, which is often used as a party drug, has been categorized as a Schedule I controlled substance since March 2014.

On February 12, 2015, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers in Cincinnati, Ohio, intercepted a package that had been sent from China to the United States, and which was addressed to ‘Damon Murray LLC’ at the defendant’s residential address in Albany. The package was found to contain about 400 grams of ethylone. On February 26, 2015, the defendant accepted and signed for the package. HSI Special Agents then arrested the defendant, who admitted ordering the ethylone from China and also previously selling ethylone to others, sometimes marketing it as ‘molly’.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Albany County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.

The defendant, Damon J. Murray, is a 27-year-old resident of Albany, New York. He pleaded guilty to importing the controlled substance ethylone into the United States. Murray faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, a maximum fine of $2 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 6 years and up to life.

The crime occurred on February 12, 2015, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers in Cincinnati, Ohio, intercepted a package containing about 400 grams of ethylone. The package was addressed to ‘Damon Murray LLC’ at the defendant’s residential address in Albany. Murray accepted and signed for the package on February 26, 2015, and was subsequently arrested by HSI Special Agents.

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