ALBANY, NEW YORK – Felix Arencibia, age 40, of Amsterdam, New York, pled guilty on February 27, 2026, to conspiracy and methamphetamine distribution charges in connection with his distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and fentanyl.First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam; and Nicholas Bucciarelli, acting Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), made the announcement.As part of his guilty plea, Arencibia admitted that between November 2022 and July 2023, the defendant received through the United States mail at least 5,615 grams of pure methamphetamine from Christian Mur-Santana, his Nevada-based drug supplier. Thereafter, Arencibia distributed the methamphetamine to drug re-distributors in the Capital District. For example, Arencibia admitted that on April 4, 2023, he sold 55.6 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for cash. First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Large-scale drug trafficking operations like this one are a scourge on society, fueling addiction, violence, and despair in our communities. By dismantling this organization and holding its leader accountable, we are sending a clear message that those who profit from poisoning our neighborhoods will face serious federal consequences.”DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam stated: “Once again, we see the extreme lengths individuals will go to as they exploit our mail system to conspire, distribute, and profit from the sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl, poisons capable of single handedly devastating families across New York’s Capital Region and beyond. DEA remains steadfast in its commitment to identifying, investigating, and bringing to justice those who distribute these deadly substances.”Acting Inspector in Charge Nicholas Bucciarelli stated: “This case highlights the misuse of the U.S. mail system to facilitate the distribution of dangerous drugs. The Postal Inspection Service will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the mail and to ensure that those who attempt to exploit it for criminal gain are held accountable.”Arencibia was the leader of the organization comprised of eight additional defendants charged in this investigation. The following defendants have pled guilty and have been sentenced or are pending sentencing:Andrew Deleon was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised releaseStefanie Plass was sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised releaseAhmad Burke was sentenced to 14 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised releaseTodd Austin was sentenced to 78 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised releaseKevisha Duboise is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, 2026.Flor Arencibia is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2026.Melissa Karwan is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2026.Christian Mur-Santana is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2026.At sentencing, Arencibia faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years imprisonment, a maximum term of life imprisonment, and a term of post imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. He will be sentenced on June 25, 2026 before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.These cases are being investigated by the DEA and USPIS. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the cases.These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation…
Source: U.S. Department of Justice