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Drug kingpin gets 20 years
Five years added to federal sentence
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Photographer:
Meredith Kaiser
Schenectady drug ring leader Oscar Mora is led into Schenectady County Court Tuesday to be sentenced.
SCHENECTADY — One of two suspected kingpins in a large Schenectady-based drug ring admitted his role Tuesday and was promptly sentenced to 20 years in state prison. The sentence is to run at the same time as a 15-year sentence he received Monday in federal court on a gun conviction, meaning his plea in the drug ring amounts to five extra years. Oscar Mora, 30, appeared in Schenectady County Court before Judge Karen Drago. He apologized for his actions and thanked the court for accepting the plea deal. Mora was accused of heading the drug ring, along with co-defendant Kerry Kirkem. Prosecutors have called the ring well organized, set up with supervisors and workers under them. Drago noted that, calling the operation one “well-oiled machine.” She also noted that his actions brought thousands of dollars of illegal substances into the community. “This calls you a very intelligent man,” Drago said, noting a pre-sentence report. “If only you could have put that to some law-abiding use. Unfortunately, you decided to go down this road and now you’ll be in jail for the next 20 years.” Though the deal handed out five extra years over the federal sentence, prosecutors had initially offered two extra years, Mora attorney James Tyner said. But Drago balked at that offer, as she has with others in the drug ring case. She would accept nothing less than 20 years total, Tyner said. “That tied everybody’s hands,” Tyner said. “Although 20 speaks volumes and is a big number, it should be viewed together with what he is doing on the federal charge, 15 years.” Mora and Kirkem were among 24 people indicted last month as alleged participants in the drug ring. Mora is the third to take a plea deal. Among the others with cases still pending is Lisa Kaczmarek, wife of former Schenectady police chief Greg Kaczmarek. The cases are being prosecuted by the state Attorney General’s Office. Mora’s 20-year sentence covers three different cases and one breached plea agreement, all of which ended with his sentencings this week, Mora was first arrested last May, accused of delivering 500 envelopes of heroin to Schenectady. Mora then gave permission to search his Waterford home, where authorities said they found a .45-caliber Glock in a safe, leading to the federal charge. Mora was sentenced Monday to 15 years on the federal case, a sentence that included no benefit from a cooperation agreement. Federal prosecutors alleged Mora violated the agreement by running the large-scale drug operation when he was supposed to be working with them to go after others. Prosecutors also speculated that Mora used them to go after the competition, clearing the way for his own organization. Mora was also sentenced Tuesday in county court for the May 2007 drug case. He received eight years to be served concurrently with the other sentences. Kirkem’s attorney, Michael Braccini, responded to Mora’s plea Tuesday by saying it was Mora who got Kirkem involved, when Mora got in trouble with federal authorities. The proceeds, however, went to Mora, Braccini said. Kirkem is considering his own plea offer, Braccini said. Tyner said Braccini’s comments were the first he’d heard of that, saying it was casting blame elsewhere.
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December 3, 2008
3:30 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
I am a mother of two young children. I think that 20 years in state prison is a disgrace to our judicial system. Dont get me wrong, i do not agree with selling drugs...it is a crime that needs to get off our streets. But there are other things in our community that concern me even more. How about pedophiles and the fact that they can take innocence from young children that do not HAVE A CHOICE if there lifes are taken from them. These people and rapists disgust me more than anybody. These are the people that should be locked away forever, but no, they are let out on bond or spend 5 years in jail and are back living right down the streets from us this very second lurking getting ready to strike again. Again like I said, drug dealers do not have a right to do what they do....unfortunatly, this is how some people make a living with theie own familys at home. These "people" should serve time and learn there lesson......but 20 years is absolutaly absurd! I would much rather live down the street from a drug dealer, than a pedophile, murder rapist!!!! Get this law straight!!!!!!
3:42 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
I think that everyone has Oscar Mora confused.He is not the person people are making him out to be.I have known Oscar for 4 years now and i can tell you he would never hurt anyone.He's NICE ,CARING PERSON who was ALWAYS there for his Family and "Friends".I dont understand how is being sentenced to 20 years in prison(FOR THINGS HE DIDNT EVEN DO) while some guy who tried to abduct a little girl outside of her school last month,was FREED ON BAIL YESTERDAY!There is obviously something wrong with our Judicial system!!!Open your eyes people!!!Oscar was blamed for OTHER PEOPLES ACTIONS!Hopefully someday the REAL TRUTH will come out...
5:40 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
If you know how to read, you will see that I do NOT agree with drug dealers.....but they get worse treatment then molesters and rapists!!!!! I have the right brain, and dont ever suggest my children be taken away MAGICMARK11, because I am the one who worries more about the more threatning things like PREDATORS!!!!! DID I STRIKE A NERVE??????? Maybe there is something YOU are hiding...hmmmmmmm.Keep your comments to yourself because you dont know Oscar or his situation, or obviously the "deal agreements" you get when you plead guilty.
5:46 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
MAGICMARK11....PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO YOURSELF..YOU DO NOT KNOW OSCAR OR HIS SITUATION!
THANKS!!
6:04 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
I think that you are pathetic Magicmark11. Are you a child molester? You obviously didn't read what these other people are saying!!!!!!
6:21 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Am I reading this correctly? Are Cbaby and jason123 really suggesting that the public should give convicted felons the benefit of the doubt because they don't know them? I bet you can find murderers in prison of whom friends would say "he is nice and caring and always there for his friends and family." And chances are, many of them are probably usually nice people. Why would Oscar plead guilty to charges he didn't commit? People die from cocaine and heroine usage... far more than those who die from attempted abductions. And their addictions lead to other crimes - burglary, murder, neglect. From my understanding, Oscar admitted playing a very large role in this process. If you answer, please answer with facts about the case, not with personal attacks and getting inexplicably defensive.
9:36 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
First of all, to all of those who want to comment on others peoples feelings and opinions instead of the ARTICLE ITSELF, then you are on the wrong site. Go to myspace and have a blast. These are peoples PERSONAL OPINIONS and they were not written to DAN or MAGICMARK11!!!!!! To suggest we are users or sellers, that just shows how pathetic people can be. Once ahain I will repeat myself AGAIN. Read my first comment!!!!!! I do not agree with drugs or dealers. i worry everyday for my kids saftey when it comes to anything. But to get notices sent home every week about new sex offenders living in your neihborhood, which is everwear and all around us, it makes you me not want to let my kids outside in their own backyard!!!! My point is, and PERSONAL opinion is that these horribal disgusting people serve no time for what they due, when the fact of the matter is, they should be PUT AWAY FOR LIFE!!!!!! If you cannot see that, I feel very sorry for you, and your children. If you suggest our opinions make us users or dealers, than you are clearly rapists or pedafiles.
11:53 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Finally you see my point. People that " PREY" should get the same treament. I agree with having their manhood cut off and more. I do not know this person personally, but for someone to get 20 years for drugs, and the fact that predators, rapists and pedafiles clearly never spend that much time behind bars is very disturbing to me. I am not scum, never will be, nor will my children. The best I can do for them is to teach them to stay away from drugs.....the sad truth is, you cant teach our litle defenseless children not to be taken and molested, raped or worse. You can teach them about strangers.....But Strangers are much more powerfull than are children. Maybe Im so opinionated about this cause I have seen it happen way to many times and It makes me ill. Dont call me scum when you dont even know me. Like I said, I didnt write my opinion for you.
11:42 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
selling drugs leads to a numerous amount of things sooner or later get in get out don't be greedy most get greedy! things like this lead to murder sooner or later .i don't condone any of this. although i do agree with the mother/wife about the pedephiles, the child rapers and murders. why doe's are system turn around and let them lose?