U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman | U.S. Department of Justice
Omjasisa Kentu Felder, a 53-year-old resident of Troy, New York, has been charged with marijuana trafficking and gun-related offenses. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman along with several law enforcement officials including Bryan Miller from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Frank A. Tarentino III from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf, and Erin Keegan from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The indictment against Felder includes allegations of possessing a 9mm handgun in connection with drug trafficking activities and having the firearm as a convicted felon. Additionally, he is accused of possessing marijuana with intent to distribute in November 2022 and conspiring to distribute marijuana between 2021 and November 2022. It is important to note that these charges are accusations at this stage, and Felder is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Felder was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart in Albany and has been ordered detained pending trial.
If convicted, Felder faces significant penalties including a minimum of five years up to life imprisonment for possession of a firearm related to drug trafficking crimes; up to fifteen years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and up to five years for each count related to marijuana trafficking. He also risks fines reaching $250,000 per count alongside post-release supervision ranging from two years to life.
The investigation into this case involves multiple agencies: ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department, and HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are leading the prosecution efforts.
This case forms part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations through collaborative efforts across federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
