Troy Felon Admits Possessing a Loaded Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Dyshawn Fisher, age 25, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to possessing and intending to distribute marijuana, possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Fisher, who has a prior felony conviction for attempted burglary, admitted that on June 5, 2018, while distributing marijuana out of a residence in Troy, he fired multiple shots down the street in order to protect his marijuana distribution operation. Fisher further admitted to possessing the marijuana that was recovered from inside the residence, and that he intended to sell that marijuana.

Fisher faces at least 5 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-release supervision of up to 5 years, when he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe on June 18, 2020.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.

Schertz Man Indicted for Kidnapping, Child Exploitation

In San Antonio, a 34-year-old Schertz, TX, resident waived his arraignment, thus pleading not guilty to charge involving kidnapping and child exploitation, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

Yesterday, Kraig David Van Winkle filed a waiver of arraignment with the Court.  In response, the Court filed an automatic plea of not guilty on behalf of the defendant to charges contained in a federal grand jury indictment returned on February 5, 2020, namely one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and one count of interstate kidnapping of a minor.

According to court documents filed in this case, two weeks after meeting a 13-year-old child online, Van Winkle allegedly left Schertz on January 8, 2020, and traveled out of state to meet the child. He then kidnapped and transported the child back to his residence in Schertz with the intent of engaging in sexual activity. After the child was reported missing, tips from the public lead authorities to Van Winkle.

FBI personnel arrested Van Winkle at his residence on January 11, 2020, and rescued the child victim.

Upon conviction, Van Winkle faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the kidnapping charge and a minimum of ten years to life imprisonment for the transportation with intent to engage in sexual activity charge.  Van Winkle remains in federal custody.

The San Antonio FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the San Antonio Police Department and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, investigated this case with assistance from FBI Little Rock and the Springdale Police Department in Springdale, Arkansas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Buckfield Man Sentenced to Over Eight Years for Cocaine Trafficking Offense

Portland, Maine:  A Buckfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Joshua Morin, 33, to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Morin pleaded guilty on June 24, 2019.

According to court records, on January 2, 2019, after a police pursuit, Morin crashed his car and then continued to flee officers on foot. After officers apprehended him, they recovered a large amount of cocaine from his person and from just outside the car he had been driving. Police also recovered $20,000 cash at the scene of the crash. The cocaine weighed approximately 1.6 kilograms, or about 3.5 pounds. Morin told the police that he distributed the cocaine in ounce and half-ounce quantities.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine State Police, the Lewiston Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.