Juan Correa Sr., 49, of Lady Lake, Florida, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison for his role as the leader of a cocaine distribution and money laundering conspiracy that operated between Puerto Rico and Syracuse, New York. The sentencing took place on Wednesday, following Correa’s guilty plea to charges of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.
According to court documents, from July 2021 through July 2024, Correa directed others in mailing packages containing kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Syracuse. These packages were picked up and delivered by Juan Correa Jr. and Ashley Correa for redistribution in the Syracuse area. Cash proceeds from the sales were then mailed back to Alex Calcano-Carrasquillo in Puerto Rico for further drug purchases.
All four individuals involved in the conspiracy have pleaded guilty. Calcano-Carrasquillo received a ten-year sentence; Juan Correa Jr. was sentenced to seven years; and Ashley Correa received more than seven years.
Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered a five-year term of supervised release for Correa Sr., following his imprisonment.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III commented: “Bringing the head of this dangerous organization to justice is a testament to the close collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies up and down the East Coast. This defendant had 5 prior state felony drug convictions and didn’t learn his lesson. 17 years in federal prison should do the trick. We remain committed to ensuring repeat offenders like this defendant, who make money from flooding our community with deadly drugs, get taken off our streets.”
Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division said: “The sentencing of Juan Correa Sr., is the result of the hard work and determination the DEA and our law enforcement partners have when targeting those individuals looking to transport illicit narcotics through the northeast corridor. The DEA remains focused on disrupting these supply chains and preventing these dangerous narcotics from reaching our streets.”
Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation New York stated: “Juan Correa Sr. is just another predator who chose to bring highly addictive drugs into our neighborhoods, continuing to prey on the vulnerable. IRS-CI New York is proud to continue its work with the DEA and our law enforcement partners in ridding our communities of those who have no regard for the welfare of its people. This sentencing does exactly that.”
Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge at United States Postal Inspection Service Boston Division added: “Through our joint enforcement efforts, we’ve dismantled a criminal organization that posed a serious public safety threat to New York communities. As this sentence demonstrates, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is working closely with its law enforcement partners to prevent dangerous and addictive drugs from reaching our streets and ensuring that perpetrators of such attempts are brought to justice.”
Joseph L. Cecile, Chief of Syracuse Police Department said: “Law Enforcement is never stronger than when we partner together. Together, we represent an omnipresent threat to criminal enterprises such as this one. On behalf of the Syracuse Police Department, I would like to both thank and congratulate the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all of our law enforcement partners who successfully dismantled this drug trafficking organization.”
The investigation was conducted by several agencies including DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service, and Syracuse Police Department under an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation which focuses on identifying high-level drug traffickers using coordinated multi-agency efforts.
