STAFF REPORTS
BUFFALO — U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Luis Rosario, 42, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of attempt to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced to serve 33 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Astorga, who handled the case, stated that on June 8, 2016, the United States Postal Inspection Service executed a federal search warrant on a postal parcel that was addressed to co-defendant Jorge Rivera at a residence on Woodlawn Avenue in Buffalo. The package was mailed from Puerto Rico. The package contained approximately two pounds of a white powdery substance that field-tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
Law enforcement officers replaced the contents of the package with sham and a transmitter that would alert officers when the package was opened. Officers then conducted a controlled delivery of the package to the residence. The package was signed for and accepted by Jorge Rivera. The defendant then arrived at the residence and the package was opened a short time later. When officers then entered the residence, Rivera and Rosario fled down the rear staircase and entered the lower apartment. As they did so, Rivera threw the sham kilogram of cocaine out of the second story window. Both defendants were arrested.
During a search of the residence, officers seized a digital scale, packaging equipment, and cell phones.
Jorge Rivera was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin, Boston Division.
