Juan Correa, Jr., a 31-year-old resident of Syracuse, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his involvement in money laundering and a drug conspiracy. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
Correa, Jr. had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine in Onondaga County between May 2024 and July 2024. He admitted to collecting proceeds from cocaine sales and sending them to his supplier in Puerto Rico for further purchases.
Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a five-year term of supervised release following Correa’s prison sentence. Other defendants involved, including Juan Correa, Sr., Ashley Correa, and Alex Calcano-Carrasquillo, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III emphasized the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies across the East Coast that led to this prosecution: “This prosecution of a cocaine trafficking and money laundering organization was made possible by the close collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies up and down the East Coast.”
Frank A. Tarentino III highlighted the impact of removing narcotics from communities: “The sentencing of Juan Correa Jr., who knowingly distributed cocaine throughout Onondaga County…is a result of the collaborative efforts DEA New York and our law enforcement partners have when targeting those individuals pushing this poison into our communities.”
Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation New York, noted the disregard for community safety shown by Correa: “Mr. Correa brought a highly addictive drug to be moved through towns from here to Puerto Rico…IRS-CI New York remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners.”
Ketty Larco-Ward from the United States Postal Inspection Service stressed their dedication to preventing mail misuse: “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to protecting the mail from criminal misuse…We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners.”
Joseph L. Cecile, Chief of the Syracuse Police Department (SPD), praised inter-agency cooperation: “This conviction is another prime example of the outstanding collaboration we have between local, state and federal partners.”
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service, and Syracuse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Brown prosecuted the case as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal networks.
