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Press Release

Ballston Spa Felon Sentenced to More Than 10 Years on Drug Conspiracy and Firearm Convictions

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

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Maxwell Leiser, age 36, of Ballston Spa, New York, was sentenced today to 130 months in prison for his role in a Schenectady-based drug trafficking organization and his unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition as a felon. 

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli made the announcement.

In connection with his previously entered plea, Leiser admitted that between December 2020 and April 2021, he conspired with Terell M. Patrick aka “Lite,” the leader of a Bloods-affiliated Schenectady-based drug trafficking organization, to distribute approximately 465 grams of cocaine base and 198 grams of heroin sourced from New York City to redistributors and users in Saratoga County.  Leiser further admitted that he unlawfully possessed three firearms and ammunition as a felon. 

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered that Leiser serve a 4-year term of supervised release following his release from prison

The following defendants have also pled guilty in connection with the drug trafficking conspiracy, and were sentenced as follows:

Name

Age

Prison Term

Supervised Release Term

Donovan Milhouse

25

60 months

4 years

Gregory Sherills, Jr.

40

60 months

4 years

Dequenton Slade

30

18 months

3 years

The following defendants have also pled guilty in connection with the drug trafficking conspiracy, and face the following minimum and maximum terms of imprisonment:

Name

Age

Minimum

Maximum

Terell M. Patrick aka “Lite”

38

10 years

Life

Alexis Bernadt

28

5 years

40 years

The FBI and NYSP investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon.

Updated June 7, 2023

Topic
Drug Trafficking