ALBANY, NEW YORK – Defendants Jalen Parker, age 32 and Juwan Parker, age 31, of Schenectady, New York, have both pled guilty before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine base. First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Federal Bureau of Investigation Albany Field Office Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli and Schenectady Police Department Chief Brian Whipple made the announcement. The brothers admitted to being a part of a drug trafficking organization that operated in Schenectady and Albany counties. Jalen Parker admitted to distributing over 200 grams of actual methamphetamine and over 325 grams of cocaine base between July 2024 and January 2026. Juwan Parker further admitted to selling over 47 grams of crack cocaine to another individual on July 9, 2024 and selling 14 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine on May 27, 2025. Upon execution of a search warrant at the brother’s residence in Schenectady, law enforcement recovered two firearms, 30 grams of fentanyl, and 300 grams of cocaine.
“Drug crime continues to plague our communities, and in this case, it appears to run in the family,” said First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “These brothers conspired to peddle poison in the community with no regard for the harm it causes—fueling potential violence and straining local resources and support networks. Thanks to the efforts of the FBI and the Schenectady Police Department, these defendants are off the streets and will face lengthy prison sentences for their roles in this operation.”
“The Parker brothers were responsible for trafficking dangerous narcotics onto the streets of Albany and Schenectady counties,” said Craig Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albany Field Office. “The FBI responded with the full force of the partnerships on our Safe Streets Task Force, and now both brothers are facing a substantial amount of time behind bars. The FBI is wholly committed to working with our partners at every level of law enforcement to leverage the resources needed to protect our communities from callous criminals looking to poison our citizens through the sale of dangerous drugs.”
“Those who profit from bringing dangerous drugs and firearms into our neighborhoods should expect the full attention of law enforcement. These guilty pleas demonstrate the strength of our federal partnerships and our shared commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable and keeping our community safe,” said Schenectady Police Chief Brian Whipple.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2026. Jalen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 120 months and a maximum of life in prison at sentencing. Juwan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 60 months and maximum of 40 years in prison at sentencing. The FBI and Schenectady Police Department investigated the case; Assistant United States Attorney Paul DerOhannesian is prosecuting the case.