Niagara Falls Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Cocaine While On Supervised Release

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Joshua Figueras, 35, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $8,000,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that between February 2018 and February 2019, the defendant conspired with others to sell crack cocaine in the Niagara Falls area. During the course of the conspiracy, Figueras provided a co-conspirator with cocaine and crack cocaine and engaged in drug trafficking to generate income.

In February of 2019, Figueras was on federal supervised release and under the supervision of the United States Probation Office. On February 4, 2019, United States Probation conducting surveillance on a premise defendant controlled on 25th Street in the City of Niagara Falls. A short time later, probation officers observed the defendant checking the mail outside the residence. When they approached Figueras, he immediately ran inside the residence and refused to answer the door. All the residence’s windows were boarded and investigators were unable to see inside the residence.

A few hours later, investigators conducted a search of the residence and recovered a white powdery substance around the toilet seat; several plastic baggies containing white residue; packaging materials; a digital scale; several cell phones; and $4,109 in US currency. Mail in the name of Joshua Figueras was also found inside the residence. No one appeared to be living in the residence and defendant was using it as a stash house. Investigators believe the residue around the toilet seat was indicative of the defendant flushing contraband. Testing determined that the substance was cocaine.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the U.S. Probation Department, under the director of Chief Probation Officer Anthony SanGiacomo; and the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Skretny.