United States Drug Enforcement Administration

(NEW YORK) - Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and James J. Hunt, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division, U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) announced today that Roman Kitroser was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to 25 years in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine, MDMA, crack cocaine, and marijuana.  Kitroser, who pleaded guilty to one count of narcotics conspiracy on November 2, 2015, was also found to have possessed dangerous weapons in connection with the conspiracy, including firearms and hand grenades.  Kitroser pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed today’s sentence. 

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated:  “In Roman Kitroser’s drug dealing operations, customers could literally pick their poison: he trafficked in heroin, cocaine, crack, MDMA, and marijuana.  To protect his illicit trade, Kitroser armed himself with an arsenal of dangerous weapons, including guns, silencers and even hand grenades.  Thanks to the work of the DEA, NYPD and New York State Police, Kitroser’s dangerous business is finished.”

According to the Indictment and other documents filed in federal court, statements made at various proceedings in this case, and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing:

From December 2013, to December 2014, Kitroser conspired to distribute heroin, cocaine, and marijuana as a member of a drug trafficking organization.  In connection with his arrest, Kitroser was found in possession of nine firearms, two silencers, high-capacity magazines, and a large press used to form loose narcotics into kilogram-sized bricks.  Law enforcement officers also seized more than $2 million, as well as two hand grenades, in connection with the investigation.

In addition to the prison sentence, Kitroser, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Bharara praised the investigative work of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force comprising agents and officers of the DEA, the New York City Police Department, and the New York State Police.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Gaffney and Alex Rossmiller are in charge of the prosecution.