Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, recently celebrated the convictions of 14 individuals involved in trafficking “major amounts” of fentanyl in northwest New York.
These individuals were found guilty of selling over $250,000 worth of cocaine and thousands of fentanyl pills disguised as Oxycodone in Erie County and Niagara. Prosecutors identified them as key players in a drug ring, with some receiving sentences in state prison.
James announced the convictions on social media, emphasizing the impact of removing large quantities of fentanyl from Western New York streets to protect the community.
Following an 18-month investigation into the trafficking group, authorities seized nearly a kilogram of cocaine and 1,440 counterfeit M30 prescriptions, valued at around $130,000. The Attorney General’s Office collaborated with the DEA Buffalo District Office and New York State Police during the investigation.
Steven James, the Superintendent of New York State Police, highlighted the partnership between law enforcement agencies in combatting drug trafficking and ensuring community safety.
The Buffalo-based trafficking network, coordinated by Charles Sims, was disrupted through a wiretap that revealed his connections with other defendants. The operations revealed supply chains of cocaine and fentanyl involving multiple individuals.
The defendants were sentenced by Judge James Bargnesi, with penalties ranging from probation to prison terms based on the severity of their offenses. For further details on the defendants and their sentences, you can click here.