Press Release
Tonawanda Man Indicted on Drug Charges
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York
BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a grand jury has handed down a two count indictment charging Peter Viera, 20, of Tonawanda, N.Y., with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to import, methylone, a Schedule I controlled substance. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Pimentel, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and the criminal complaint that preceded it, between October 21, 2011, and May 31, 2013, the defendant conspired with others to import from China, obtain, and sell methylone in Western New York. On May 31, 2013, Viera was parked in a car across from the LaSalle Post Office in Niagara Falls, N.Y. observing a co-conspirator pick up a package from the Post Office, which had been sent from China. Unbeknownst to Viera and his co-conspirators -- the package was intercepted two days prior by U.S. Postal inspectors and found to contain approximately one kilogram of methylone.
The indictment is the result of an investigation on the part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Kevin Niland, Inspector in Charge, Boston Division,
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Updated December 3, 2014
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