Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - James Mack, age 39, of Syracuse, was convicted today following a four-day jury trial for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Carla B Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief of Police Joseph Cecile, Syracuse Police Department.

The evidence at trial established that James Mack used his Honda Accord as a stash location for his drug trafficking operation. During a search of the defendant’s Accord in Syracuse on February 12, 2020, Syracuse Police Detectives located a hidden compartment (or “trap”) in the dashboard. From the trap, Detectives recovered over 400 grams of cocaine, over 100 grams of cocaine base, and a loaded .38 caliber revolver.

The charges of which the defendant was convicted carry a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and maximum of life, a fine of up to $8,000,000.00, and a term of supervised release of at least 8 years following the defendant’s release from incarceration. 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. Sentencing is scheduled for March 16, 2023, in Utica, New York.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Syracuse Police Department-Special Investigations Division (SPD-SID). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian LaRochelle and Jessica Carbone as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.