Tonawanda Man Who Received Cocaine From Puerto Rico Sentenced

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

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Osvaldo Rivera-Amaro, 46, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who handled the case, stated that cocaine was shipped to the defendant from Puerto Rico through the U.S. Postal Service. On December 15, 2017, U.S. Postal inspectors seized a package containing just over two kilograms of cocaine that was addressed to co-defendant Iramarie Velez on Crane Place in Tonawanda, NY. The cocaine was replaced with sham cocaine, and then the package was delivered on December 28, 2017. After Velez accepted the package, she left the residence but returned a few minutes later with Rivera-Amaro. Velez went back into the residence, came back out with the package, and placed it in the back of the defendant’s vehicle. The defendant was subsequently detained, his vehicle was searched, and the package, containing the sham cocaine, was located in the trunk.

Iramarie Velez was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.

Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.