Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge

       BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that John Rickard, 48, of Buffalo, N.Y., pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie G. Foschio. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who is handling the case, stated that on November 9, 2009, Buffalo Police officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, located at 254 Laird Avenue in Buffalo. During the search, officers located approximately 96 grams of cocaine, packaging material, approximately $58,307 in United States currency and three firearms. A Buffalo Police canine gave a positive alert for the presence of narcotics on the currency.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Cannon, New York Field Division and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda.