Press Release
Crack Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 25 years
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Firkon James, a/k/a Roc, a/k/a Maurice Patterson, a/k/a Mark James, a/k/a John Atkins, 38, of New York City, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 280 grams or more of cocaine base, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that James purchased cocaine in New York City and transported it to an apartment in Winton Village in Rochester. The defendant then processed the cocaine into cocaine base that he weighed, broke down, packaged, and sold in various quantities. After multiple confidential informant purchases of cocaine base from James, the investigation culminated on September 10, 2010 with the execution of multiple federal search warrants. Officers seized over 250 bags of cocaine base packaged for street sale, a stolen 9mm pistol loaded with 9 rounds of live ammunition, 74 rounds of various rounds of ammunition, paraphernalia for the processing, weighing, and packaging of cocaine and cocaine base for sale, a 2005 Nissan 350Z, a 2005 Jeep Cherokee, a 2003 BMW, and a 2003 Chevy Tahoe. As part of his sentence, James was ordered to forfeit the four vehicles, firearm, and the rounds of ammunition seized during the investigation.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian R. Crowell, New York Field Division, with assistance provided by the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (GRANET), under the direction of Lieutenant Gerald Smith, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Sandra Doorley, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Scott Heagney.
Updated December 3, 2014
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