Niagara Falls Man Sentenced On Drug Charge After Officers Find 5 Kilograms Of Cocaine In His Car

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

BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jose Garcia-Santiago, 61, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Adler, who handled the case, stated that in September 2017, the U.S. Postal Service intercepted packages arriving from Puerto Rico and addressed to various residences in Niagara Falls, NY. Postal inspectors seized approximately five kilograms of cocaine that were intended for Santiago and his co-conspirators. One of the packages was addressed directly to the defendant’s home address.  Another was addressed to the home of Katherine Dejesus-Gonzalez.

Thereafter, beginning on May 8, 2018, investigators intercepted numerous conversations involving the defendant discussing cocaine trafficking and the associated proceeds. Many of those conversations were with co-conspirator Edgar Joel Jimenez-Rodriguez.

On May 26, 2018, the New York State Police stopped the vehicle the defendant was driving. Co-conspirator Katherine Dejesus-Gonzalez was a passenger. Troopers seized five kilograms of cocaine from the vehicle.

All three defendants have been 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 Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent

Thomas Licata, and the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET), under the direction of Lieutenant Kevin Reyes and Major Mary Clark.

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