Troy Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Fentanyl-Laced Pills

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Alex R. Mahoney Wilks, age 23, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for illegally possessing a pistol as a previously convicted felon, as well for possessing fentanyl-laced pills with the intent to distribute them.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Mahoney Wilks admitted that on February 4, 2022, as he attempted to leave a residence in Watervliet, he knowingly possessed in his vehicle a pistol and a quantity of fentanyl-laced pills that he intended to sell.  A total of $11,333 and two digital scales were also recovered from the vehicle.  A prior felony burglary conviction prevented Mahoney Wilks from legally possessing the firearm in New York. The firearm had also previously been reported stolen. 

Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Mahoney Wilks to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Watervliet Police Department, with the assistance of the Albany County District Attorney’s Office.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.