Rochester Man Sentenced For Role in Drug Conspiracy

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Angel Gonzalez, 28, of Rochester, N.Y., who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced to 97 months in prison  by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.

            Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer M. Noto and Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that between June 2011 and June 2012, the defendant participated in an armed drug conspiracy operating in the Rochester, New York area. Gonzalez and other members of the conspiracy were responsible for the distribution of significant quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine throughout the Rochester area. The investigation involved court-authorized wire taps and resulted in the arrest of nine related defendants. To date, eight of the nine defendants have been convicted. Angel Gonzalez is the first defendant to be sentenced in connection with this armed drug distribution ring.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott Heagney and Investigators of the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Sheppard.