Three Men Plead Guilty to Drug Distribution Charges

Press Release

Joseph Lastrina Directed Two Others to Deliver Crystal Methamphetamine

UTICA, NEW YORK - Joseph Lastrina, age 38, of Norwalk, Connecticut, pled guilty today to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.

As part of the same investigation, Thaddeus Price, age 47, of Albany, and Robert Sanger, age 59, of Rensselaer, New York, previously pled guilty to distributing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, respectively.

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.

The charges to which the three men pled guilty carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison; a fine of up to $1 million; 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 statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Lastrina admitted to directing both Sanger and Price to complete drug deals that he arranged in November 2022 in the Capital Region. Those transactions collectively involved 177 grams of pure methamphetamine. A search warrant executed at Sanger's home led to the recovery of an additional 217 grams of pure methamphetamine in May 2023.

The DEA is investigating the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Reiner and Ashlyn Miranda are prosecuting.

Updated May 2, 2024