Two Men Indicted on Drug Charges

     BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Ricardo Melendez, aka Ricardo Sanchez, aka Pupu, 18, of Buffalo, N.Y. and Abraham Tiro-Sanchez, aka Shorty, aka Mexico, 22, of Mexico, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than a 100 grams of heroin and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years and a 5,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who is handling the case, stated that on May 3, 2014, the defendants were pulled over by the New York State Police for a traffic stop. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement officers recovered a quantity of heroin.

The defendants were arraigned this morning by U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schoreder. Both were ordered held and are due back in court on July 14, 2014.

The indictment is the culmination of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations,   

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.