ALBANY (AP) - An upstate New York man faces up to life in prison for charges that he distributed heroin and fentanyl that caused the deaths of two people in Columbia County last year.

Twenty-nine-year-old Jacob Ebel was arraigned Monday before a federal magistrate judge in Albany. He pleaded not guilty.

Federal prosecutors say the two overdose victims each overdosed in July after using heroin and fentanyl that came from Ebel.

Ebel has been in custody for several months following an arrest on state drug charges. If convicted on all charges, he faces at least 20 years and up to life in prison.

A message left with Ebel’s attorney was not immediately returned Monday.

The case is being prosecuted by the office of U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian.