Six Defendants Facing Federal Charges as Part of Intensified Focus on Gun Crimes

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon announced today that the following defendants have been indicted or arrested within the last month for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition in the Capital Region:

• Thomas Hendricks, age 39, of Schenectady, New York, was arrested on a federal complaint charging him with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.  The case is being investigated by the Schenectady Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.

• Duquan Mcleod, age 31, of Rockingham, North Carolina, was indicted for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.  The case is being investigated by the Schenectady Police Department and ATF, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.

• Justin Micheli, age 33, of Schodack, New York, was indicted for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing and intending to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.  The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Alexander Wentworth-Ping.

• Leonard Samuels, age 38 of Schenectady, was indicted for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.  The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.

• Frankie Rios, age 40, of Troy, New York, was indicted for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing and intending to distribute cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base.  The case is being investigated by the ATF and Troy Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Williams.

• Mikal Smith, age 27, of Albany, was indicted for unlawfully possessing 20 rounds of ammunition as a felon, and possessing and intending to distribute cocaine.  The case is being investigated by the DEA and Albany Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Williams.

These are separate cases brought as part of a larger effort to direct greater resources to prosecuting gun crimes in cities across the Northern District of New York.  The charges are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  

Citizen tips can help get illegal and unlawfully possessed guns off the streets, and can be provided as follows:

• Capital Region Crime Stoppers – tips can be made anonymously by visiting http://www.capitalregioncrimestoppers.com.

• Syracuse Police Department – tips can be made anonymously via the tip411 web site, or by calling (315) 442-5111.