ALBANY — Leamzy Soto Calderon, aka “Lee” and “Gordo,” 28, of Schenectady, and Gregory Insogna, 45, of Amsterdam, pleaded guilty on May 31 and June 3, respectively, to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin in federal court.
In pleading guilty, Soto Calderon admitted to being a member of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed a kilogram or more of heroin in Schenectady between 2017 and Dec. 20.
As a member of the organization, Soto Calderon regularly picked up hundreds of grams of heroin and delivered thousands of dollars in cash in payment for the heroin; prepared the heroin for sale by mixing it with cutting agent and packaging it into “bags” and “bundles”; and sold the heroin to a large customer base in and around Schenectady. In December 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Soto Calderon’s residence in Schenectady and seized 268 grams of heroin, cutting agent, and heroin processing materials.
In his guilty plea, Insogna admitted to being a member of the same drug-trafficking organization and to obtaining heroin from Soto Calderon, and others, which Insogna then sold in Amsterdam. Insogna also admitted to directing couriers to pick up the heroin from and deliver payment for the heroin to Soto Calderon in Schenectady.
Soto Calderon faces at least 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and a maximum fine of $10 million.
Insogna faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life, and a fine of up to $5 million. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the United States Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Police, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Amsterdam Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.
