Buffalo Man Charged with Stealing Heroin and Fentanyl

    BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a seven-count indictment charging Ivan Rosario, 19, of Buffalo, N.Y., with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and maintain a drug involved premises. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine of $5,000,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Opanga, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between 2011 and February 6, 2014, the defendant conspired with others to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin and fentanyl in the Buffalo area. On February 6, 2014, during the execution of a search warrant at Rosario’s residence on North legion Drive, officers recovered 41 bags of heroin and fentanyl. One of the bags was located in a baby crib in a bedroom of the residence.  

The indictment is the culmination of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt.

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.