Albany County Man Charged With Trafficking Of Cigarettes And Possession Of Counterfeit Tax Stamps

ALBANY, NY (08/31/2010)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward announced today that an Albany man faces felony charges for his role in trafficking 202 cartons of untaxed cigarettes, 11,000 untaxed cigars and possessing over 3,100 counterfeit tax stamps.

Juan Reynoso-Fabian, 44, of 705 Delaware Avenue, Albany, is charged with multiple felony counts: Attempt to Evade or Defeat Tax, a class E felony, punishable by up to four years in state prison; Possession of Untaxed Cigarettes and Tax Fraud in the Third Degree, both class D felonies, punishable by up to seven years in state prison; and, Possession of a Forged Instrument in the First Degree, a class C felony, punishable by up to 15 years in state prison.

Following an investigation, Reynoso-Fabian was arrested in the City of Albany on August 27 by State Tax Department investigators. During the arrest, agents found the untaxed cigarettes, cigars and counterfeit stamps, which represent an estimated $35,100 in unpaid taxes to New York State.

Reynoso-Fabian was arraigned before Judge John Bailey in Guilderland Town Court and remanded to Albany County Jail. A preliminary hearing in Albany City Court will be held on September 1.

The office of Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares will coordinate the prosecution of this suspect.

Acting Commissioner Woodward thanked the New York State Police and the Albany County District Attorney's Office for their assistance in prosecuting this case.

The defendant charged is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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