A federal grand jury has indicted Andy Soto, 32, of Jersey City, New Jersey, on multiple drug and weapons charges following his arrest in North Troy on July 24.
Soto was charged with four counts, including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 400 grams of fentanyl, and illegal possession of a firearm.
Soto pleaded not guilty to all charges during his September 3 arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.
Two other drug-related cases are moving through the state courts. Brownswell Cedano, 29, currently in federal custody in Pennsylvania, pleaded innocent to the second-degree murder of Richard Poginy in November 2019, according to a news report in the August 28 Chronicle, an Orleans County weekly newspaper. Cedano was convicted in federal court for drug trafficking. Also, Jaky Tramaine Corey Keither, 25, of Hartford CT pleaded innocent to first-degree murder in connection with the killing of Kayla Wright earlier this year, the Chronicle reported.
Search warrant led to Soto bust – According to court records, authorities executed a search warrant at a North Troy residence where Soto had been staying. They reportedly found over 600 grams of suspected cocaine powder, over 300 grams of suspected cocaine base, over 700 grams of suspected fentanyl, over 80 grams of suspected xylazine, approximately $46,000 in currency, and five loaded firearms.
The majority of the narcotics, currency, and a loaded .40-caliber firearm were located in a safe bolted to the floor of Soto’s room.
Soto had been the subject of a long-standing drug investigation, with authorities conducting multiple controlled purchases involving him between July and December 2023.
If convicted, Soto faces a minimum of ten years and up to life imprisonment. He is currently being held in detention pending trial.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police, Northeast Vermont Drug Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations in this case, which is part of ongoing efforts to address drug and gun trafficking in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. – editor