Poospatuck cigarette magnate gets 10 years in prison

A federal judge has sentenced one of New York’s biggest cigarette dealers to 10 years in prison in a case involving the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars of untaxed tobacco from the state’s Indian reservations.

Rodney Morrison was originally accused in 2004 of running a violent criminal enterprise that was one of the leading sources of the state’s black market in cigarettes.

He was acquitted of murder, robbery and arson, and had the cigarette tax case tossed out.

He faced sentencing on Long Island Friday only on a single gun possession count.

He could have been released on time served, but U.S. District Judge Denis Hurley gave him the maximum.

Morrison’s attorneys are considering an appeal.