Albany woman admits to mailing synthetic drugs to prisons while disguising them as legal documents

Albany, New York – A woman from Albany has pleaded guilty to her role in a scheme that involved manufacturing and distributing synthetic cannabinoids to inmates in correctional facilities while disguising the contraband as legal mail. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that Maya McIntosh, 33, admitted to multiple drug-related offenses, including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substances and unlawful possession and use of a means of identification.

According to court records, McIntosh carried out her illicit activities from at least January 2023 through July 2024. She manufactured MDMB-4en-PINACA, a powerful synthetic cannabinoid, by ordering chemical ingredients and mixing them in her home. Once the liquid substance was prepared, she soaked it into sheets of copy paper and business envelopes. These drug-laced documents were then sent to inmates across various correctional facilities in New York.

To evade detection, McIntosh went to great lengths to make the mail appear legitimate. She fraudulently used the names of real attorneys in the return address section of U.S. Priority Mail Express envelopes, making it seem as though the packages contained legal paperwork rather than illicit drugs. Authorities confirmed that the attorneys whose names were used had no knowledge of or involvement in the scheme.

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McIntosh also leveraged social media platforms to conduct sales, advertising and selling the synthetic drug-soaked papers to outside buyers. Inmates or their associates would pay her to mail the substances directly into prisons, where the papers could then be cut up and consumed by prisoners seeking a high.

Law enforcement officials, including the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), conducted an in-depth investigation that ultimately led to McIntosh’s arrest and guilty plea. “This case highlights the dangers of synthetic drugs and the extent to which some individuals will go to smuggle them into correctional facilities,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of USPIS’s Boston Division.

McIntosh now faces significant legal consequences. She could receive up to 20 years in prison for each of the drug-related charges, along with potential fines of up to $1 million. Additionally, she faces up to a $250,000 fine for her fraudulent use of attorney identities. If convicted on all counts, McIntosh could also be placed under supervised release for a minimum of three years and up to life.

While her sentencing date has not yet been determined, the severity of her offenses and the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines will influence the judge’s final decision. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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Authorities continue to crack down on synthetic drug distribution, especially in cases where substances are being funneled into prisons. “Preventing the flow of dangerous substances into correctional facilities is a top priority for law enforcement,” said Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s Buffalo Field Office. “These substances not only threaten inmate health but also endanger corrections officers and disrupt prison security.”

McIntosh’s guilty plea underscores the federal government’s commitment to tackling the illegal drug trade, particularly within the prison system. As the legal process continues, officials remain vigilant in their efforts to intercept and prevent similar smuggling operations from taking place.