Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty To Drugs & Firearms Trafficking Offenses
Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 7:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
SYRACUSE, NY.- U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman reported on Friday, October 25, 2024, that Uqoeon Lawrence appeared in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York and pleaded guilty before a U.S. District Court Judge to Possession and Distribution of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon; and Interstate Firearms Trafficking.
During Friday’s hearing, the Judge accepted Lawrence’s guilty pleas and scheduled sentencing for February 25, 2025, at which time Lawrence faces a maximum of up to life in federal prison and up to a $10 million fine. The actual sentence will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge based on the seriousness of the offenses and Lawrence’s past criminal history.
Sells Drugs To Undercover Investigatior
According to documents filed and statements made in the court, during his allocution, Lawrence admitted that he sold and distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine during two undercover law enforcement operations in June 2023.
Lawrence further admitted that he possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl and a loaded 20-gauge pump-action shotgun and ammunition uncovered during the execution of a court-authorized search warrant at Lawrence’s Syracuse apartment on June 26, 2023. Lawrence also admitted in court that he illegally possessed the firearm and ammunition after being convicted of a felony offense.
Transported Guns From Maine To New York
Lawrence also admitted during Friday’s hearing to trafficking firearms purchased in the State of Maine and then transported the firearms back to Syracuse, New York, and sold them on the street in July 2023.
U.S. Attorney Freedman commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Syracuse Police Department’s Intelligence Unit for the investigation, arrest, and Lawrence’s guilty pleas on Friday.
