ALBANY, NEW YORK – Brandon Prawl, age 28, of Schenectady, New York, was convicted today of four counts of distributing heroin, possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, following a 3-day jury trial.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.
The evidence at trial established that on four dates in September 2019, Prawl distributed heroin out of a residence in Schenectady. On October 4, 2019, Prawl was found in possession of a .45 caliber pistol and loaded magazine, more than 21 grams of heroin, and drug distribution paraphernalia at the same residence. The jury concluded that Prawl possessed the heroin for distribution, and the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Prawl faces at least 5 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby on March 30, 2023. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the ATF and New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Emmet O’Hanlon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.