STAFF REPORTS
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal jury convicted Michael Elder, 38, of Tonawanda, NY, of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, butyryl fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. The convictions carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan T. Cullinane and Seth T. Molisani, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that on November 3, 2016, the United States Probation Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration searched the defendant’s residence at 143 Edgewood Avenue in Tonawanda. Officers recovered crack cocaine, fentanyl, drug presses, and other drug paraphernalia. At that time, Elder was on federal supervised release for a previous bank robbery conviction.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by the United States Probation Department, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Anthony SanGiacomo, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 31, 2018, at 12: 30 p.m. before U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara who presided over the trial of the case.
