Ithaca Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearms Offenses

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Zachary Jackson, age 38, of Ithaca, New York, was sentenced on Friday, January 16, 2026, to 15 years (180 months) in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Farhana Islam, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA"), New York Enforcement Division, made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Jackson admitted that on November 19, 2024, he possessed a kilogram of cocaine and a Glock handgun which he used to protect himself while distributing controlled substances in the Ithaca and Auburn, New York areas. Jackson could not legally possess a firearm because he had been previously convicted of assault with intent to cause serious physical injury with a weapon, a felony offense for which he served over 10 years in prison.

Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: "Drug dealers, especially ones with violent criminal histories like this defendant, should know that law enforcement in the Northern District of New York will find them and put them behind bars. Thanks to the investigative efforts of local agencies and the DEA, our communities are now safe from this dealer, his drugs, and his gun."

"Once again, DEA's New York Enforcement Division and our partners removed a repeat drug trafficker who relied on violence to fuel his criminal enterprise," stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. "The sentencing of Zachary Jackson sends a clear message to those who look to poison our communities; that the DEA will target you and bring you to justice! We are committed to preserving public safety and remain focused on keeping our neighborhoods safe."

United States Chief District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed an 8-year term of supervised release to begin after Jackson is released from prison.

DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); New York State Police; the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force (FLDTF); the Auburn Police Department; the Ithaca Police Department; and the Onondaga, Cayuga, and Tompkins County District Attorney's Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice's violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.