Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty To Cocaine Charge

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
               
BUFFALO, N.Y.-Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Julio Cesar Sanchez, 47, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who is handling the case, stated that in March of 2015, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) executed a search warrant at an apartment where illegal narcotics were sold. At that time, agents recovered an internal video surveillance system that recorded Sanchez holding and describing a bag of cocaine he intended to sell to customers.

On October 5, 2015, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) intercepted a package shipped from Puerto Rico to an address in Buffalo. Agents executed a search warrant on the package which contained cocaine stuffed inside a set of speakers. After removing the cocaine, the DEA conducted a controlled delivery of the package. During the controlled delivery, the defendant arrived at the address and signed for the package.  Upon signing for the package, DEA agents arrested Sanchez. 

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Shelly Binkowski.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 29, 2017, before Judge Arcara.