Watertown Resident Pleads Guilty to Attempted Possession of Controlled Substances with the Intent to Distribute

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Stuart Chambers, age 44, of Watertown, New York, pled guilty yesterday to attempted possession of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea yesterday, Chambers admitted that, on January 30, 2024, he travelled to Syracuse from Watertown to purchase one pound of methamphetamine and nine ounces of cocaine, which he intended to distribute. Chambers was arrested as part of a drug interdiction operation conducted by DEA and other law enforcement agencies. He further admitted that, before he committed this offense, he had previously been convicted in federal court in the Middle District of Pennsylvania of possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 20, 2024, in Syracuse, at which time Chambers faces a mandatory minimum federal prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life, a fine of up to $8,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 8 years and up to life. 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.

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case with assistance from Pennsylvania State Police, Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, and the New York State Police-Special Investigations Unit - Syracuse. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone is prosecuting the case.