SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Wright, age 33, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering of drug proceeds, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and possessing firearms in connection with a drug trafficking crime announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Gregory S. Oakes, Oswego County District Attorney.
As part of his previous guilty plea, Wright admitted that between May 2017 and August 2017, he received bulk quantities of marijuana from a source of supply who imported marijuana via the Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation in Northern New York State. Wright sold marijuana he received to customers in Syracuse, and sent the proceeds back to his source of supply. As part of his guilty plea, Wright admitted that he distributed at least 54 kilograms (119 pounds) of marijuana. Wright further admitted that he possessed a handgun and a loaded shotgun in his home to protect his drugs and the proceeds from drug sales. In 2008, Wright was convicted in Onondaga County Court of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, and was prohibited from possessing firearms at the time of his commission of his federal crimes.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, Wright was also sentenced to 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a money judgment in the amount of $204,581.00 representing proceeds derived from marijuana distribution.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Syracuse Police Department, and the Oswego County Drug Task Force, comprised of Special Agents of HSI, members of the City of Oswego Police Department, the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office, Investigators from the Oswego County District Attorney’s Office, the SUNY Oswego Police Department, and Agents of the U.S. Border Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.
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