Utica Man Sentenced for Possession of Fentanyl for Distribution

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Harry Rodriguez, Jr., age 43, of Utica, New York, was sentenced today to serve 84 months in federal prison for his convictions for two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.

As part of his previous guilty plea, Rodriguez admitted that on July 21, 2021, he purchased approximately 36 grams of fentanyl for redistribution. He also admitted that on September 14, 2021, he purchased approximately 50 grams of fentanyl for redistribution.

United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 3-year term of post-release supervision and a $200 special assessment.

This was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), New York State Police, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, Utica Police Department, Syracuse Police Department, Rome Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, Yorkville Police Department, Whitesboro Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.

-For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York