A Schenectady man was sentenced Wednesday to 12 months in prison for distributing drugs and orchestrating a food stamp fraud scheme worth more than $316,000.
Omar Alaidrus, 24, admitted to exchanging fentanyl for food stamps at his family-owned deli in Schenectady. He also illegally provided cash in exchange for food stamps and redeemed benefits for prohibited items, including Xanax, alcohol, and tobacco.
In addition to his prison term, 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. He will also serve three years of supervised release.
The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman, alongside officials from 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 assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted the case.
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