Dominican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Selling Cocaine while Illegally in the United States

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Jose Campusano, 38, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Utica, New York, pled guilty to selling cocaine and illegally reentering the United States.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division; and Thomas Brophy, Field Office Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations, Buffalo Field Office.

As part of his plea, Campusano admitted that, at some point after being deported from the United States in 2009, he returned without permission. While he was living in the Utica area illegally, Campusano sold cocaine to another individual on six separate dates. The charges to which Campusano pled guilty carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. 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.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) are investigating the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Oneida County Sheriff's Department, Onondaga County District Attorney's Office, Syracuse Police Department, and Utica Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone is prosecuting the case.