Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian announced that on June 26, 2012, Richard Anderson, 24, of Schenectady, pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act before United States District Court Judge David N. Hurd. He faces up to life in federal prison when sentenced by Judge Hurd in Utica, New York, on November 16, 2012.

On June 26, 2012, Judge Hurd also sentenced Curtis Perkins, 24; Arsheen Montgomery, 20; and Jose Serrano, 21, all of Schenectady, on their convictions of the crime of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Perkins was sentenced to 83 months in federal prison (to be served concurrently with a New York State sentence that he is currently serving), to be followed by five years of supervised release. Serrano was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Montgomery was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Perkins, Serrano, Anderson, and Montgomery were indicted in May 2011, along with 15 others, for the crime of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, with an indictment that charged the defendants with being members and associates of a criminal organization in Schenectady, New York, known as the Four Block Gang, whose members and associates engaged in acts involving attempted murder, travel in interstate commerce in furtherance of racketeering activity, and drug trafficking.

The RICO conspiracy charge remains pending against five defendants, and trial is scheduled for October 9, 2012 in Utica.