Home Albany Press Releases 2009 Leader of Utica Drug Gang Enters Guilty Plea
Info
This is archived material from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) website. It may contain outdated information and links may no longer function.

Leader of Utica Drug Gang Enters Guilty Plea

U.S. Attorney's Office July 09, 2009
  • Northern District of New York (315) 448-0672

Andrew T. Baxter, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York, announces that ANDREW WYMES, a/k/a Drip, age 29, Utica, New York, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Syracuse to charges relating to his role as a leader of a Utica-based drug trafficking gang.

As part of his plea, WYMES pled guilty to an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He also pled guilty to an Information charging him with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. At sentencing, which is scheduled for November 10, 2009, WYMES faces a minimum of 15 years imprisonment, a maximum of life imprisonment, up to $4,250,000 in fines and 8 years of supervised release following any period of incarceration.

As part of his plea WYMES admitted to selling between 2 and 3.5 kilograms of cocaine to mid-level dealers in the Utica area, and possessing a .45 caliber handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity.

The case against multiple co-defendants remain pending at this time.1 The prosecutions resulted from an investigation undertaken by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the New York State Police, Special Investigations Unit and the Oneida County Drug Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the Utica Police Department, the Oneida County Sheriff's Department, the Rome Police Department, and the New Hartford Police Department. The U.S. Marshal’s Service assisted in the arrests today.

To date, the following items have been recovered during this investigation: approximately $23,000 in U.S. currency; more than half a kilogram of cocaine; approximately 125 grams of crack cocaine; four handguns; and three long-barreled firearms. Agents have also seized the following nine vehicles, all of which are alleged to have been used to facilitate the organization’s drug trafficking activities: (1) 2004 Acura TL; (2) 2005 Mitsubishi Endeavor; (3) 2003 Honda Accord; (4) 2004 Honda Accord; (5) 2002 Chevy Trail Blazer; (6) 2005 Jeep Cherokee; (7) 2002 Ford Explorer; (8) 2004 Mercedes-Benz; and (9) 2005 Acura TL.

Further inquiries can be directed to Assistant U. S. Attorney John M. Katko, Syracuse, New York at (315) 448-0916.

This content has been reproduced from its original source.