PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK - NICHOLAS VARACALLI, 66, was sentenced on April 3, 2014 by United States District Court Judge Glenn T. Suddaby to 120 months imprisonment and five years supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute more than one thousand (1,000) kilograms of marijuana announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian.
On Dec. 19, 2013, VARACALLI pled guilty to Count 1 of superseding indictment 10-CR- 534 (GTS), charging conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§846 and 841(b)(1)(A). VARACALLI played a key role in an international drug smuggling organization designed to import thousands of pounds of marijuana into the United States and helped generate millions of dollars in drug proceeds. The defendant, along with co-defendant’s Denis Vachon and Jacques Perrault, was responsible for coordinating the acquisition and delivery of large quantities of marijuana, communicating with marijuana dealers in the United States to arrange marijuana shipments and receiving the proceeds of the transactions to pay the suppliers and other members of the organization.
On March 4, 2014, co-defendant Jacques Perrault pled guilty to Count 1 of superseding indictment 10-CR-534. Perrault is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2014.
The investigation and prosecution of VARACALLI was the result of a joint investigation between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the New York State Police (NYSP), the United States Border Patrol (USBP), the Plattsburgh Police Department, and Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.
Any questions may be directed to Assistant U.S. Attorney John Duncan in Syracuse, New York at 315-448-0672
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
