Willie Mills, a 31-year-old resident of Schenectady, New York, has pleaded guilty to charges related to firearm possession and drug distribution. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, alongside Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division.
Mills confessed to having an EAA semiautomatic pistol and distributing 895 pills containing fentanyl. Due to a previous felony conviction for criminal possession of a firearm, Mills was prohibited from legally possessing the weapon.
The legal consequences for Mills include a mandatory prison sentence ranging from at least five years to a maximum of forty years. Additionally, he faces a potential fine up to $5 million and a supervised release term spanning from four years to life. Sentencing will be determined by a judge based on relevant statutes violated by Mills, as well as the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other considerations.
The DEA is leading the investigation with support from the Schenectady Police Department and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Paulbeck is responsible for prosecuting the case.
