STAFF REPORTS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Juan M. Serrano Acevedo, also known as Juan Acevedo-Serrano, 36, of Lockport, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine. The charge carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who is handling the case, stated that in late October of 2015, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted a package shipped from Puerto Rico to an address in Lockport. During the execution of a search warrant on the package, law enforcement officers discovered two pounds of cocaine hidden inside an oatmeal canister. At that time, the USPIS removed the cocaine from the package.
On December 30, 2015, Serrano Acevedo went to the Lockport Post Office to sign for and accept the package addressed to him. After exiting the post office, the defendant was arrested. Following the arrest, Serrano Acevedo admitted that he ordered the cocaine, that he had previously received a package that contained cocaine, and that he sold cocaine.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 14, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Geraci.
