Cecilio Wareham, a 48-year-old Queens, New York resident, has been sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization operating in Ulster County. United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino handed down the sentence on May 11, 2026, which will be followed by three years of supervised release.
Wareham previously admitted to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He supplied co-conspirator Greg Tejada with cocaine, including over two kilograms seized from Tejada in October 2024. This sentencing is part of a larger investigation that led to the indictment of ten defendants in April 2025 for distributing significant quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine in Kingston and other parts of Ulster County.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III emphasized the impact of the sentencing, stating, “Cecilio Wareham will spend the next 63 months in federal prison due to his role in a distribution network poisoning our streets.” He credited strong collaboration between local and federal law enforcement for uncovering the operation and removing dangerous drugs from communities.
HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso added, “Today’s sentence represents the culmination of a long-term joint effort to uncover and disrupt the organizations pushing dangerous narcotics into our neighborhoods.” Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa also thanked partners, noting that removing narcotics trafficking is a main directive of the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT).
The investigation, led by HSI, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office (URGENT), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and New York State Police, is part of the broader Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. This whole-of-government partnership aims to eliminate criminal cartels and transnational criminal organizations, focusing on prosecuting those involved in drug trafficking and other serious crimes.