BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Aaron J. McDuffie, a/k/a “G”, 24, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of distribution of heroin and butyryl fentanyl causing death, and distribution of fentanyl, butyryl fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl causing death, was sentenced to serve 262 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
“Our community has adopted a multi-faceted approach—including enforcement, treatment, and prevention efforts—in our battle against the deadly opioid epidemic,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “While that approach has produced positive results, too many of our loved ones and friends continue to die. Just as the Erie County Opiate Task Force has sought to build on prior successes by devising new and innovative treatment and prevention efforts, this Office, together with our law enforcement partners, has been extremely forward-leaning in our effort to develop a comprehensive and relentless law enforcement plan to take-out those who are fill our streets with these deadly opioids. While no amount of jail time will ever bring back an overdose victim, aggressive prosecutions such as this, which result in long prison sentences, serve: to protect our community, by ensuring that this defendant will not have the opportunity to fatally poison anyone else in our community for a very long time; to deter others from engaging in future drug trafficking activity, by letting them know that they will face severe and certain punishment if they distribute drugs that injure or kill others; and finally, to reinforce the message that, in our Western New York community, all lives are deemed to be worthy of protection.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Misha A. Coulson and Wei Xiang, who handled the case, stated that on June 27, 2015, the defendant met with a repeat drug customer identified as “A.E,” a 24 year-old Cheektowaga man. McDuffie sold A.E. a quantity of powder that the defendant advertised as “fire,” a mixture that contained heroin and butyryl fentanyl. A.E. died as a result of using the drugs McDuffie provided to him.
On November 23, 2016, McDuffie met with another repeat drug customer identified as “D.M,” a 34 year-old West Seneca man, and sold him a quantity of powder that the defendant advertised once again as “fire.” This mixture contained fentanyl, butyryl fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl. D.M. also died as a result of using the drugs McDuffie provided to him.
On November 30, 2016, law enforcement officers arrested McDuffie leaving his residence in Buffalo. The defendant was on his way to distribute a quantity of powder that contained fentanyl, butyryl fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl. Under McDuffie’s’s living room couch, officers recovered a Hi-Point, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun that was loaded with eight rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.
The sentencing is result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Ray Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division; Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Zack; and the West Seneca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel Denz.
No comments:
Post a Comment