Devere Williams, a 36-year-old resident of Troy, New York, has been indicted on charges related to drug and firearm offenses. The indictment includes charges for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The potential penalties for these charges include a minimum prison term of five years up to life in federal prison, fines up to $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. It is important to note that these charges are accusations at this stage, and Williams is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A judge will determine any sentence based on the specific statutes violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other relevant factors.
Williams appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista in Albany for arraignment and will remain detained pending a hearing scheduled for February 21. The FBI is leading the investigation into this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph S. Hartunian and Nicholas Walter are handling the prosecution.