CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Bryan Ferrer-Vazquez, 27, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura A. Higgins and Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who handled the case, stated that beginning in early 2016, Ferrer-Vazquez distributed heroin and cocaine for a drug trafficking organization led by co-defendant Sigfredo Martinez. The defendant was responsible for the “day shift” transactions, while another co-defendant, Alex Mercado, was responsible for “night shift” transactions. Ferrer-Vazquez would receive a couple hundred bundles of heroin from Martinez every few days and was tasked with distributing it to users and lower-level dealers. The defendant then turned over the proceeds to Martinez and took payment for his role in the distribution.

During the course of the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted three controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine from Ferrer-Vazquez, who was arrested on April 6, 2017, at his Buffalo Street residence. A federal search warrant was executed at the residence and investigators recovered 19 cellphones, a quantity of suspected cocaine hidden in lunchboxes in the rafters of the basement, a quantity of suspected heroin, $2,994 in cash, three ledger notebooks, and a scale. A loaded.380 caliber semi-automatic handgun was found wrapped in rags and a plastic shopping bag locked inside a cabinet in the detached garage.

Alex Mercado and Sigfredo Martinez were both previously convicted and sentenced to serve 120 months and 175 months in prison respectively.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan; the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff James B. Quattrone; the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb; the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Timothy Jackson; the Town of Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss Jr.; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; and the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Ortolano.

# # # #