United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Edgar Tejada, 35, of Utica, New York, pled guilty today to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

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 (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.

As part of his guilty plea, Tejada admitted to possessing over 500 grams of cocaine at his residence in Utica, as well as a loaded Ruger handgun.  Tejada admitted that he possessed the firearm to protect himself and the cocaine he kept at his residence. 

Tejeda faces at least five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00 and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least three years and up to life, when he is sentenced on April 19, 2022, by United States District Judge David N. Hurd.  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. 

This case is being investigated by the DEA Syracuse Resident Office, U.S. Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the City of Utica Police Department, the City of Syracuse Police Department, the City of Rome Police Department, U.S.  Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Village of Yorkville Police Department, and the Village of Whitesboro Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.