ALBANY, NY – Tyquan Armstrong, 44, of Rotterdam, New York, is headed to federal prison for 90 months after being convicted of running a significant marijuana trafficking operation and illegally possessing firearms. Armstrong, also known as “Moose,” received the sentence today from Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr.
Federal investigators uncovered a cross-country drug ring, with Armstrong acting as a key distribution point in New York’s Capital Region. Between July 2021 and June 2022, Armstrong received at least 19 packages of marijuana shipped from Fresno, California. Text messages recovered by investigators revealed a co-conspirator routinely sent Armstrong tracking information for the incoming shipments. The operation involved at least 50 kilograms – roughly 110 pounds – of marijuana, which Armstrong then distributed throughout Schenectady and surrounding areas.
The bust came after a June 15, 2022 raid on Armstrong’s Rotterdam apartment. Agents seized seven vacuum-sealed packages containing 10 pounds of marijuana, intended for immediate sale. The apartment was also a testament to the profits of Armstrong’s illegal enterprise, containing $18,723 in cash, two money counters, a gold Rolex watch, a diamond-encrusted gold chain, and two diamond-encrusted gold rings – all purchased with drug money.
But the drugs and cash weren’t the only items discovered. Law enforcement also found a loaded .357 revolver, a privately manufactured .22 caliber “ghost gun” with no serial number, and 125 rounds of .357 ammunition. Armstrong admitted to possessing the firearms specifically to protect his marijuana stash and the proceeds from its sale. The case was a joint effort involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Troy Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“This case exemplifies the dangers of illicit drug trafficking and the associated violence,” said John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s New York Field Division. Judge Scullin didn’t stop at the prison sentence, also imposing a six-year term of supervised release and ordering Armstrong to forfeit all the seized cash, jewelry, firearms, and ammunition. The investigation was conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a multi-agency initiative designed to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia prosecuted the case. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and gun violence in the region. Armstrong’s 90-month sentence serves as a stark reminder that those involved in these criminal enterprises will face serious consequences.
Related Federal Cases
- Anthony Wills, Marijuana Trafficking and Money Laundering, NY 2016 · Illinois
- Phoumano Duangtavilay, Marijuana Trafficking, NY 2023 · California
- Jonathan M. Cuney, Ghost Gun Possession, NY 2024 · Missouri
- Dwight A. Singletary II, Marijuana Trafficking, Nationwide 2023 · California
- Dwight A. Singletary II, Marijuana Trafficking, California 2016 · California
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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