ALBANY, NEW YORK – Two men were sentenced today for conspiring to distribute kilograms of heroin that they acquired in New York City and sold on the streets of Troy, New York.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Rensselaer County Sheriff Pat Russo.
Mario Figueroa-Portalatin, age 41, of Troy, was sentenced to 151 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered him to forfeit $34,001 in drug trafficking proceedings and a Hi-Point model JHP .45 caliber pistol.
In pleading guilty, Figueroa-Portalatin admitted that for two years ending in March 2020, he sold at least 10 kilograms of heroin, which he acquired from a source of supply in New York City. From March 2018 to March 2020, he and co-conspirators traveled to New York City once a month, on average, and each time purchased between 500 grams and 1 kilogram of heroin that they brought back to Troy, packaged, and sold.
On March 30, 2020, Figueroa was the subject of a traffic stop in Troy. Police officers seized a black canvas bag, on the front passenger floorboard of his vehicle, that contained approximately 200 grams of heroin that Figueroa intended to sell that day to a customer.
Carlos Leon Rivera, age 63, of Troy, was sentenced to 87 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Chief Judge Suddaby also ordered him to forfeit $7,150 in drug proceeds, a Ruger model EC9S, 9mm handgun, and a Glock 30 .45 caliber handgun.
In pleading guilty, Leon admitted to working with Figueroa to sell heroin in and around Troy, from January 2019 to March 2020. Leon admitted to regularly traveling to New York City,ere he would acquire at least 500 grams of heroin at a time from Figueroa’s source of supply. Leon also admitted that when DEA and other law enforcement searched his apartment on March 30, 2020, he possessed approximately 31 grams of heroin, 23.7 grams of fentanyl (in tablet form), and 60 grams of cocaine.
A third co-conspirator, Jose Leon Roldan, age 42, of Troy, pled guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2021.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
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