Utica Man Convicted On Federal Drug Charges

A jury has convicted a Utica man on felony drug charges following a four-day trail in U.S District Court in Syracuse.

43-year old Dean Steppello was found guilty of two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

The jury also found he possessed over 500 grams of cocaine, which requires a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of up to 20 years.

He'll be sentenced on January 30th.

Steppello was arrested by State Police in Utica in June of 2008 as he attempted to deliver four ounces of cocaine.