Feds: Nine charged in Schenectady heroin trafficking ring

SCHENECTADY — Nine people from Schenectady, Amsterdam and the Bronx are facing federal charges in connection with a heroin distribution ring in Schenectady, U.S. Attorney’s officials said Monday.

Each of the nine is federal heroin-related conspiracy counts, officials said.

They are accused of distributing more than a kilogram of heroin in Schenectady between 2017 and December 2018. Search warrants executed in Schenectady and the Bronx uncovered hundreds of grams of heroin, cash and heroin-processing materials, officials said.

Federal prosecutors identified the eight of the nine charged as:

Jean Carlos Rivera-Perez, aka “Tego,” age 44, of the Bronx
Esteban Ressy, aka “The Boss,” age 43, of Schenectady and Puerto Rico
Leamzy Soto Calderon, aka “Lee,” aka “Gordo,” age 28, of Schenectady
Linette Marie Soto, age 24, of Schenectady
Kristen Jansen, age 27, of Schenectady
Jose Cortes-Cruz, aka “Bimbo,” age 28, of Schenectady
Gregory Insogna, age 45, of Amsterdam
Patrick McNamara, age 47, of Amsterdam

The ninth person remained at large Monday and was not named by prosecutors.

Ressy was arrested in Puerto Rico Jan. 8 and faces at least 15 years and up to life, if convicted.

Rivera-Perez, Calderon and Soto each face at least 10 years and up to life if convicted; Jansen and Insogna face at least five years and up to 40 years if convicted; and Cortes-Cruz and McNamara each face up to 20 years, if convicted.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Amsterdam Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.

Also Monday: