Buffalo Man Sentenced On Gun Charge

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that John Rickard, 48, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, was sentenced to 12 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who handled 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 sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Delano A. Reid, New York Field Division and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda.