Omar Alaidrus, 24, of Schenectady, was sentenced Wednesday to 12 months in prison for his involvement in a drug distribution operation and a fraudulent food stamp scheme that totaled more than $316,000.
Alaidrus admitted to exchanging fentanyl for food stamps at his family-owned deli in Schenectady, as well as illegally exchanging cash for food stamps and redeeming benefits for prohibited items such as Xanax, alcohol, and tobacco.
In addition to his 12-month prison sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn ordered Alaidrus to pay $316,975 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. Following his release, Alaidrus will serve three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York State Police. The Schenectady Sheriff’s Office and Schenectady Police Department also assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner handled the prosecution of the case.
