Lockport man going to prison for more than 10 years on fentanyl charge involving death of a toddler

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Javonte Holloway, 24, of Lockport, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and to distribute, acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 128 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that Holloway sold large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl in the Lockport area. Typically, Holloway sold these substances in the form of counterfeit hydrocodone pills known as “percs” or “M-30s.” Between July and December 2022, Holloway regularly sold counterfeit pills to a Lockport couple, who had a small child. In the early morning hours of December 2, 2022, Lockport Police responded to an apartment, where they found the couple’s young child unresponsive. The child was taken to Eastern Niagara Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Law enforcement seized several straws with residue and four blue pills with markings “M” and “30,” from a bedroom where the small child was found unresponsive. Testing determined that the straws and pills contained fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl. On February 1, 2023, law enforcement seized 27 round blue pills marked “M-30,” from Holloway’s residence, which were tested and confirmed to contain fentanyl.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, and the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott.

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