Pennsylvania man pleads guilty in California murder, Cortland drug ring

Jeff Smith, Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
·2 min read

A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty days before the scheduled start of his federal trial, in which prosecutors were going to tie him to a drug and murder case that included a shooting in California and a meth arrest in Cortland in 2019.

Kyle M. Leeper, 38, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Thursday to murder and drug trafficking, and is facing 25-40 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $10.5 million when he is sentenced Sept. 14.

Federal prosecutors had initially considered seeking the death penalty for Leeper and co-defendant Ramon Nieves-Cotto, 28, of DeRuyter in Madison County, but the U.S. Attorney's Office announced last June it would seek a prison sentence instead.

Prosecutors said Leeper shot and killed California resident Robert Chavez in a deserted area in California after a drug deal on Jan. 17, 2019, and Nieves-Cotto aided the homicide when he bought zip-ties used to bind the victim before he was shot.

For subscribers: After California drug deal and murder, how feds nabbed criminal team in Cortland

As part of the plea deal, Leeper admitted to being a part of a conspiracy that trafficked methamphetamine from Indiana and Southern California to Cortland County, where he distributed it.

Officials said a drug deal was arranged through Arlene Rodriguez, a California resident who contacted Chavez. They met at a motel near Los Angeles to complete the drug deal.

When the meth Chavez promised to secure was less than Leeper had been expecting, prosecutors say Leeper drove Chavez and Rodriguez to a outside of Barstow, California, and shot Chavez eight times with a .380 caliber pistol, killing him.

Leeper, Nieves-Cotto and Rodriguez then drove to Cortland, where Leeper distributed the meth. In February 2019, Leeper, Nieves-Cotto and Rodriguez returned to Los Angeles, where Leeper purchased an additional six to eight pounds of meth and a 9mm pistol.

Upon his return to Cortland, Leeper began to distribute the meth, and on Feb. 19, 2019, a Cortland County Sheriff’s patrolman stopped Leeper and Rodriguez for a traffic violation.

Inside the truck, the patrolman found four pounds of meth, a loaded .380 caliber pistol prosecutors say was used in the murder, and ammunition. Leeper, who had previously been convicted of state and federal offenses, was arrested at the scene.

Six other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to possessing 50 grams or more of meth with intent of distributing, and await sentencing:

  • Nieves-Cotto, also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a murder during a drug conspiracy.

  • Rodriguez, 38, of Montebello, California, also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.

  • Jose Pimentel, Jr., 31, of Los Angeles.

  • Edgar Arredondo, 35, of Los Angeles.

  • John Rice, 57, of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and Los Angeles.

  • Crystal J. Stephens, 34, of Groton

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Kyle Leeper pleads guilty in California, Cortland murder-drug case