ALBANY, NEW YORK – A jury on Thursday convicted Stacie Demers, age 53, of Constable, New York, of a drug conspiracy involving 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana.
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.
Demers faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, when she is sentenced on May 19, 2016 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.
The jury convicted Demers following a three-day trial in Albany. The evidence at trial demonstrated that Demers, who lived on the Canadian border in Northern New York, worked with members of her family and other co-conspirators to smuggle tens of thousands of kilograms of marijuana from Canada and into the United States. After the loads of marijuana crossed the border, Demers stored the marijuana in a shed behind her home and in other places. The marijuana was then picked up by drivers who transported it to street-level marijuana dealers throughout the Eastern United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New York State Police, and United States Border Patrol, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Kopita and Cyrus P.W. Rieck.