ALBANY, NEW YORK – In a major blow to the state’s opioid epidemic, Samuel Payano, a 24-year-old Amsterdam man, has pleaded guilty to engaging in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Payano conspired with Bernardo Tovar to distribute counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, as well as cocaine and methamphetamine, from May 2022 to December 2022. The pills, which were designed to look like prescription medication, were a deadly mix of fentanyl and other substances.
Payano also admitted to distributing fentanyl pills and a firearm to another person on October 12, 2022. He further admitted that he and Tovar possessed fentanyl pills, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as two firearms, in their apartment on December 7, 2022, when the apartment was searched.
The investigation into Payano and Tovar’s operation was led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Payano’s co-conspirator, Tovar, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 181 months in prison. Payano, on the other hand, faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes will sentence Payano in Syracuse on September 6, 2024. The sentence will be determined by the judge based on the particular statute Payano is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The guilty plea is a significant victory in the fight against fentanyl trafficking in New York. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has been linked to thousands of overdose deaths in the state in recent years. The case serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of fentanyl trafficking on communities across the state.
The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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