Deported Dominican Returns to CNY, Caught Selling Drugs

A man who was living in Utica after sneaking back into the United States now faces up to 20-years behind bars after admitting to selling cocaine.

That's according to the U.S. Attorney's Office who says Jose Campusano is a citizen of the Dominican Republic and was deported from United States back in 2009. At some point afterward, prosecutors say Campusano illegally reentered the country and was living in Utica, NY. While living in the city, Campusano was arrested and has admitted to selling cocaine to another person on at least a half-dozen occasions.

As part of his plea deal, Campusano admitted to the illegal reentry and drugs sales. Not only does he face a maximum of 20-years in prison, but he could face a fine of up to one-million-dollars, along with several years of post release supervision.

The investigation included members of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office, and officers from the Syracuse and Utica police departments.

World's Largest Dish of Pasta, and a Wedding - Utica, NY, Feb 14, 2004

The Guinness Book of World Records affirmed in 2004, that the World's Largest Dish of Pasta was made in Utica, NY with the Keeler Show. Now with WIBX, Keeler worked with Tony's Pizzeria and other to create a dish of pasta weighing over 7,000 lbs. and the event included an actual wedding. The dish of pasta weighed 7,355 lbs. (3,336 kg) and lasted in the Guinness Book for several years. The dish was assembled and the wedding was held at Sangertown Square in New Hartford, when Keeler was hosting a 6 night a week television show, The Keeler Show, on FOX 33 TV in Utica and FOX 68 in Syracuse.

New Photos of the new Downtown Utica Wynn Hospital (February 2023)

Just eight months before it's scheduled to open, MVHS officials took WIBX's Bill Keeler and Jeff Monaski, along with Photo Journalist Nancy L. Ford through the new Wynn Hospital in Utica. The new downtown hospital is expected to open in November.