ROCHESTER,
N.Y.—Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that
Pablo "Paul" Plaza, who was convicted by a federal
jury of the murder of Francisco Santos, conspiracy to possess with
intent to distribute and to distribute large quantities of illegal
narcotics, and possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of
the drug conspiracy, was sentenced to life in prison
plus 10 years by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Acting
U.S. Attorney Kennedy, crediting his trial team of AUSAs Rodriguez and
Marangola and the ATF Agents and RPD Officers who
worked tirelessly to put this case together, noted that “although
justice was a long-time coming in this case, it is fitting that, in the
end, it was delivered with a measure of permanence.”
ATF
Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict said, “The sentencing of
Pablo Paul Plaza to life imprisonment plus 10 years for
his role in three murders while engaged in a drug trafficking
conspiracy demonstrates that though justice may at times be delayed, it
will not be denied. The passage of time will not lessen the resolve of
ATF and our law enforcement partners to ensure that
violent criminals meet their inevitable fate of a cell in a State or
Federal penitentiary. It is our sincerest hope that Plaza’s sentencing,
and the expected sentencings of his co-conspirators, brings some solace
and closure to Ms. Harmon’s family, and the
families of the other victims of this violent organization.”
Assistant
U.S. Attorneys Everardo A. Rodriguez and Melissa M. Marangola, who
handled the prosecution of the case, stated that
Plaza and his brother James Kendrick spearheaded a long term, violent
narcotics trafficking ring in the City of Rochester between 1993 through
and including March 2011. To protect the conspiracy and its members
from other drug dealers and those deemed to be
disloyal workers, Plaza, Kendrick, and others in the conspiracy
resorted to violence including beatings and murder.
Specifically,
Francisco Santos, a/k/a “Cisco,” was murdered in October 1998. Santos’
body was found in May 1999 buried on the
Cattaraugus Indian Reservation in Erie County, NY. Santos was a worker
for Plaza and Kendrick and was murdered because the defendants believed
he betrayed the organization by stealing drugs, cash and guns. Plaza and
Kendrick initially retaliated by conducting
a drive-by shooting at the residence of Santos’ father, step-mother and
sisters, who were four and six years old at the time.
During
the trial, the Government presented evidence of additional acts of
violence including the murder of Jose Troche on January
14, 2010. The Government’s proof established that Plaza and Kendrick
planned and executed the murder of Troche because they feared that
Troche, also a member of the conspiracy, was planning to cooperate in
the prosecution of the defendants. In connection with
the Troche murder, Plaza and Kendrick decided that Kendrick, in an
effort to fabricate an alibi, would go to a local supermarket and be
seen on camera at the time of Troche’s murder.
In addition, the Government presented evidence that Plaza directed co-conspirators Damion Colabatistto,
Angelo Ocasio and others to murder a rival drug dealer who
injured Plaza in a fight. Colabatistto and Ocasio went to 137 Cameron
Street looking for the rival drug dealer. When they arrived at the
house, the two men shot and killed Meosha Harmon, erroneously
believing her to be the rival drug dealer, when she came to the
upstairs window of the residence. Colabatistto and Ocasio were tried in
separate trials and both were convicted for their roles in the
conspiracy and murder of Harmon and are awaiting sentencing.
James
Kendrick was also convicted of drug conspiracy and the murders of
Francisco Santos and of Ryan Cooper. Nine other defendants
involved in the drug conspiracy were charged and convicted
of various drug and firearms offenses and of other violent
crimes. Plaza’s younger brother, also named Pablo, was previously
convicted of participating in the murder of Francisco Santos.
The
sentencing of Pablo “Paul” Plaza is the result of a joint investigation
consisting of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Ashan Benedict, Special
Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division, and the Rochester Police
Department, Violent Crime Team/Firearms Suppression Unit, under the
direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.
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