Jesus Baez, Cocaine Conspiracy, New York 2021

A Loudonville man has pleaded guilty to a cocaine distribution conspiracy in the Capital Region, New York, in 2021, according to a federal indictment. Jesus Baez, a 32-year-old resident of Loudonville, New York, admitted to participating in a cocaine distribution conspiracy with three co-conspirators in Albany and Rensselaer Counties, New York.

Between June 2021 and December 2021, Baez and his co-conspirators obtained cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico and distributed it in the Capital Region. The cocaine was shipped via U.S. mail in one-kilogram bricks and transported to a stash house maintained by Baez on Fifth Avenue in Troy, New York, where the cocaine was processed for distribution.

Baez admitted to participating in the conspiracy with three co-conspirators, including Jan Lopez-Colon, 28, of Troy, Ilvin Batista-Figueroa, 31, of Albany, and Sam Calderon, 20, of Troy. Calderon previously pled guilty to his role in the conspiracy, while the charges against Lopez-Colon and Batista-Figueroa remain pending.

Baez faces a minimum of 5 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life. Baez also agreed to forfeit $5,000 seized from his residence as proceeds of the drug conspiracy.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 8, 2023, in front of Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its Capital Region Task Force, led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and including the Albany Police Department, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the Schenectady Police Department, as well as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

This case is a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of cocaine distribution in the Capital Region, New York. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its partners will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle these types of conspiracies.

The charges against Baez are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, the evidence presented in this case suggests a serious and coordinated effort to distribute cocaine in the Capital Region.

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