ALBANY, NEW YORK — Mario Figueroa-Portalatin, 41, of Troy, New York, admitted in federal court today to trafficking at least 10 kilograms of heroin over a two-year stretch ending in March 2020. The guilty plea marks the collapse of a long-running drug operation that fed the opioid crisis in the Capital Region.
Figueroa-Portalatin confessed to making monthly trips to New York City between March 2018 and March 2020, where he purchased between 500 grams and 1 kilogram of heroin each time. He transported the drugs back to Troy, repackaged them, and sold them on the streets. The operation netted him thousands in illicit profits, fueling addiction and endangering communities.
The end came on March 30, 2020, when Troy police pulled Figueroa over on a routine traffic stop. Officers found a black canvas bag on the front passenger floorboard containing approximately 200 grams of heroin — product ready for sale. That single bust led to a broader law enforcement sweep, turning up hard evidence of his empire.
Search warrants executed on Figueroa’s apartment and a second unit in the same building uncovered $34,001 in cash — proceeds from drug sales. Inside his bedroom, investigators found a loaded Hi-Point model JHP .45 caliber pistol, raising the stakes from trafficking to armed distribution.
Figueroa faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison. Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby will hand down the sentence on December 8, 2020. Post-release supervision could last five years or the rest of his life, depending on the court’s ruling.
The case was investigated by the DEA Albany and the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett. U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, and Sheriff Pat Russo confirmed the details, underscoring the federal-state cooperation that brought Figueroa down.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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