SYRACUSE — A criminal complaint filed in federal court by the United States Border Patrol, Department of Homeland Security, shows electronic surveillance led to the arrest of a Fulton man charged with allegedly transporting and distributing more than 100 pounds of marijuana.
A federal judge authorized law enforcement to intercept and record 35-year-old Jason Alpeter’s phone calls, which police say show the man conspired to sell large amounts of marijuana in Oswego county between July and November, 2017. Alpeter is charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 100 pounds of marijuana, a federal charge, along with local felony charges for criminal possession of marijuana in the town of Volney. The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment, a period of supervised release ranging from 3 years to life, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Authorities allege Alpeter worked alongside six other men to transport and distribute those large quantities of marijuana between Franklin, Onondaga and Oswego counties. Law enforcement officials claim Alpeter’s role included obtaining distribution quantities of marijuana from a supply source located in Syracuse and would in turn re-distribute the marijuana in smaller quantities to street-level dealers in and around Oswego county.Since July, 2017, the Oswego County District’s Attorney’s Office and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration have been conducting a criminal investigation into marijuana distribution networks operating between New York and Canada.
Through GPS tracking, and other surveillance and investigation tools, law enforcement learned the drug trafficking organization was transporting large quantities of marijuana between the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation in Quebec, Canada and co-conspirators in the Syracuse area who would then distribute smaller quantities to nearby counties.
On Oct. 26 and Oct. 31, authorities intercepted Alpeter’s communications. Alpeter spoke with an alleged customer/distributor to whom authorities say he had fronted marijuana. The alleged customer/distributor said he was having problems selling the drug at the set price, according to authorities, and told Alpeter he intended to break the marijuana down into smaller quantities to sell.
The remaining six men allegedly involved in the case — William Sullivan, Jamie Phillips, Alexander Elliott and Alexander Steeprock of Onondaga County, and Chadwick Swamp and Winston Francis, both of Franklin County — were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute approximately 220 pounds or more of marijuana in Onondaga County allegedly between January and November 2017. Their charges carry a minimum sentence of up to 40 years imprisonment and a period of supervised release of at least four years up to life.
All seven defendants appeared in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York in Syracuse, according to a release from the Justice Department.
credit:oswegocountynewsnow.com
