Plattsburgh Woman Convicted of Conspiring to Distribute Heroin

A jury in Albany, New York has convicted Danielle Conners, age 33, of Plattsburgh, of conspiring to distribute heroin, following a 6-day trial. Conners was charged along with nine other individuals in connection with a heroin distribution ring that transported heroin from Schenectady and Annapolis, Maryland, and sold it in the Plattsburgh area.

The evidence presented at trial showed that Conners gave $700 to Kyle Touchstone and Melissa Kusalonis to purchase heroin, with the understanding that they would double her money by selling the heroin. Conners also loaned her car to Touchstone and Kusalonis to pick up the heroin in Schenectady and drove them to sell the heroin in Plattsburgh. At the time of her arrest, Conners possessed $1,033 in cash, which was proceeds from the sale of heroin.

Conners faces up to 20 years in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least 3 years and up to life, and a maximum fine of $1 million at her sentencing hearing scheduled for March 5, 2019, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.

The convictions are the result of a nearly yearlong investigation led by the DEA Task Force in Plattsburgh, which consisted of law enforcement officers from the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, New York State Police, Clinton County Sherriff’s Office, Essex County Sheriff’s Office, and the Plattsburgh Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Katherine Kopita are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA commended the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation for their hard work and dedication to disrupting the heroin trafficking ring.

The other defendants in the case have already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin. The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners to combating heroin trafficking and keeping communities safe.

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