United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ALBANY, N.Y. - A federal jury convicted Steven Ray Morgan, 48, of Schenectady, New York, of five felony charges including conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a felon.  

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, New York Division, Drug Enforcement Administration.

The jury convicted Morgan of four counts relating to crack cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The jury acquitted Morgan on a sixth charge, of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. 

Morgan faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, as well as at least eight years of post-imprisonment supervised release, when he is sentenced on May 18, 2016 by Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

The jury convicted Morgan following a four-day trial.  The evidence at trial demonstrated that Morgan worked with others to distribute crack cocaine in and around Schenectady, that he and others stored drugs in a Schenectady stash house for purposes of distribution, and that the amount of crack cocaine involved was 28 grams or more.  The evidence also demonstrated that Morgan illegally possessed a loaded 9 mm handgun that was stored with the drugs. 

A prior jury trial in 2009 resulted in convictions on all six charges.  However, in 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed those convictions and remanded the case for a new trial. 
                                                                                            
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Albany District Office, and was prosecuted on retrial by Assistant United States Attorney Sean O’Dowd.