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Press Release

Niagara Falls Man Going To Prison For Selling Cocaine And Crack

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York

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

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Rico Freeman, 35, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan A. Tokash and Joseph M. Tripi, who handled the case, stated that between May 2016 and June 2017, the defendant conspired with others to operate a high-traffic and extremely profitable cocaine and crack cocaine distribution network in Western New York.

Freeman obtained quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine from a local source of supply during the course of this conspiracy. The defendant would then sell the cocaine and crack cocaine directly to customers, or have other co-defendants conduct sales on his behalf.

On May 24, 2017, federal agents executed a search warrant on Freeman's apartment on Main Street in Niagara Falls and seized drug scales and packaging. Residue collected from the scales tested positive for cocaine.

The defendant was arrested along with co-defendants Ramone Westbrook, Corey Bradberry, and Darius Dix, aka Darius Jenkins, who were all previously convicted.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan D. Larson, New York Field Office; the Niagara County Drug Task Force and Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff James Voutour; the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Stephen Preisch; the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Bryan DalPorto; and the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Caroline A. Wojtaszek.

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Updated April 11, 2023

Topic
Drug Trafficking