Benjamin Balisage pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl in separate incidents dating back to 2023 and 2024. The firearms trafficking charge stemmed from a January 17, 2024 incident, while the drug charges related to December 13, 2023 conduct involving cocaine and fentanyl.
Judge Semper imposed the maximum 10-year sentence for both counts, to run concurrently, while recommending that the Bureau of Prisons place Balisage in a facility near his home and that he participate in the Residential Drug Abuse Program. The court emphasized the severity of the charges, noting the dual nature of firearms and narcotics offenses.
Balisage entered his guilty plea on April 1, 2026, to an information containing both counts. The case proceeded directly to sentencing without a trial, with the defendant accepting responsibility for both the firearms trafficking violation under 18 U.S.C. § 933(a)(1) and the drug charges under 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
Upon release, Balisage will face three years of supervised release with extensive conditions including drug testing, mental health treatment, restrictions on criminal associations, and consent to searches. The sentence reflects federal guidelines for serious weapons and drug trafficking offenses, with the concurrent terms providing some mitigation for the defendant's cooperation.