Pennsylvania Man and California Woman Charged with Drug and Firearms Crimes

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kyle Leeper, 35, of Pennsylvania and Arlene Rodriguez, 35, of Almonte, California appeared today in federal court in Syracuse on an indictment charging them with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, and   firearms offenses, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division.

The indictment unsealed today charges Leeper and Rodriguez with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Cortland, New York, and elsewhere. The indictment also charges both defendants with using and carrying a firearm in connection with drug trafficking crimes, and charges Kyle Leeper with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The drug conspiracy charge and drug possession charge against both Leeper and Rodriguez carry minimum sentences of 10 years, and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, as well a fine of up to ten million dollars, and a term of supervised release of at least five years, and up to life. If convicted of the charge of using and carrying a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime, Leeper and Rodriguez could be sentenced to a mandatory consecutive sentence of five years in prison. If convicted of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition, Kyle Leeper could be sentenced to up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00. 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 charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Kyle Leeper and Arlene Rodriguez were arraigned today in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley-Dancks and were ordered detained pending a trial before United States District Court Judge David N. Hurd.

This case is being investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Cortland County (New York) Sheriff’s Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Southwick and Thomas Sutcliffe, with assistance from the Cortland County District Attorney’s Office.