Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Charge

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr., announced today that Mica Donadelle, 43, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine before U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Burgasser, who is handling the case, stated that on January 27, 2011, the defendant, along with co-defendants Kevin Liburd and James Phillips, conspired to avoid the detection of $162,300 at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The defendants met at parking lot across the street from the airport at which time, Donadelle gave the money to Phillips. An airport employee at the time, Phillips bypassed screening procedures and stored the money in an airport bathroom which was later picked up by Liburd.

In addition, between 2006 and December 2012, Donadelle conspired with Liburd, Phillips, and Renwick Samuel and Angel Gonzalez, to distribute cocaine in the City of Buffalo.

Phillips, Liburd, Samuel and Gonzalez have been convicted and are awaiting sentencing.  

Today’s plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Safe Streets Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation which includes the Amherst Police Department; Buffalo Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Cheektowaga Police Department; Erie County Sheriff’s Office; Hamburg Police Department; Lancaster Police Department; Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority; New York State Department of Correctional Services; New York State Police; U.S. Border Patrol; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement–Homeland Security Investigations.

Member of 10th Street Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges

BUFFALO—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Christopher Pabon, 23, of Buffalo, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, to Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations conspiracy (RICO conspiracy). The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who handled the case, stated that from 2000 through 2010, Christopher Pabon was a member or an associate of the 10th Street Gang. As a part of his involvement in the gang, the defendant, along with other members and associates of the gang, possessed firearms and sold marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin on the West Side of Buffalo, New York. As part of his plea of guilty, Pabon also admitted that on April 17, 2006, he gave a loaded handgun to a fellow gang member, knowing that the fellow gang member and others in the gang were going to shoot at rival 7th Street Gang members. The subsequent shooting resulted in the deaths of Brandon McDonald and Darinell Young, as well as injuries to other individuals.

Christopher Pabon was indicted along with 34 other 10th Street Gang members or associates. He is the 17th defendant to be convicted.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of investigators of the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Christopher Cummings; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commission Daniel Derenda; and special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 23, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.

Member of 10th Street Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Jimmy Sessions, 26, of Buffalo, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who handled the case, stated that from 2000 to 2010, the defendant was a member of the 10th Street Gang, a criminal enterprise engaged in racketeering activity. As a part of his involvement in the 10th Street Gang, Sessions, along with other members and associates of the gang, sold cocaine, crack cocaine, and other controlled substances on the West Side of Buffalo, New York. The defendant possessed firearms with other 10th Street Gang members and conspired to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine and over 280 grams of crack cocaine as a part of the affairs of the 10th Street Gang.

Jimmy Sessions was indicted along with 34 other 10th Street Gang members or associates. He is the 16th defendant to be convicted.

“Today’s development represents yet another step in our effort to combat gangs operating in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who would harm our community through gang activity are brought to justice.”

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Christopher M. Piehota, Special Agent in Charge; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Christopher Cummings; and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 10 , 2013, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.

U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Six Individuals for the Murder of Jeffrey Henry in Newburgh

Alleged Armed Drug Robbery Resulted in Death

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Mary Galligan, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Joseph A. D’Amico, Superintendent of the New York State Police; Michael Ferrara, the Chief of Police for the City of Newburgh Police Department; and Carl E. DuBois, the Sheriff for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, announced today the unsealing of a four-count indictment charging six defendants with the murder of Jeffrey Henry on December 15, 2010. Jeffrey Henry was killed when the defendants attempted an armed robbery of individuals selling crack cocaine and marijuana from an apartment located at 54 Chambers Street in Newburgh, New York.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated, “This was a senseless death tied to drugs, guns, and greed. With our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, arrests have been made, and we hope justice will now prevail.”

FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Mary Galligan stated, “Today’s charges and arrests are further evidence of the undeniable link between guns and drugs. The drug trade is potentially lethal not only because the product is poison, but because the business is rife with guns and people prone to using them.”

Joseph A. D’Amico, Superintendent of the New York State Police, stated, “The collaborative efforts of the Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force have resulted in significant arrests in the takedown today in the city of Newburgh. At a time when gang violence and drugs threaten the fabric of our most vulnerable urban communities, these arrests send a strong message that these activities will not be tolerated in our communities.”

City of Newburgh Police Chief Michael Ferrara stated, “The violence that plagues the city of Newburgh is caused by multiple factors and, as such, must be combated by multiple levels of law enforcement. The diligent work of my officers and detectives, combined with the assistance of county, state, and federal officials is critical to our continued crime reduction strategies. By all of us working together, we will continue to get violent individuals off the streets of Newburgh.”

Orange County Sheriff Carl E. DuBois stated, “Today’s successful operation is another example of the effectiveness of combining resources to combat drug related and violent crime in our area. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to providing all available resources to federal, state, and local agencies to maintain the highest level of safety for the citizens of Orange County.”

The following allegations are based on the indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

The indictment, United States v. Raymond Christian, et al., 12 Cr. 626, charges the six defendants with conspiring to rob individuals they believed to be in possession of narcotics and narcotics proceeds, conspiring to distribute the narcotics they expected to receive from the robbery, and actually robbing the individuals. Additionally, the ondictment charges the six defendants with using and possessing firearms and discharging one that caused the death of Jeffrey Henry. Two defendants, James Williams, a/k/a “L-1”; and Kevin Burden, a/k/a “Kev Gotti,” arranged for firearms to be provided to the other four defendants, Raymond Christian, a/k/a “Reckless”; Tyrell Whitaker, a/k/a “Bow Wow”; Rashawn Vassell, a/k/a “Bash”; Glenn Thomas, a/k/a “Gucci”; and other co-conspirators not named. Christian, Whitaker, Vassell, Thomas, and the other unnamed co-conspirators robbed individuals selling crack cocaine and marijuana from an apartment located at 54 Chambers Street in Newburgh, New York. Jeffrey Henry was shot and killed during the course of the robbery.

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In a coordinated effort earlier today, officers and agents from the Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force arrested all defendants. Four of the defendants are scheduled to be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison in White Plains federal court. Two other are in federal custody outside the District and will be transferred to White Plains for arraignment. Five of the six defendants are residents of Newburgh. The sixth, Whitaker, lives in North Carolina.

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the New York State Police, Newburgh Police Department, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Bharara added that the investigation is continuing.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Parvin Moyne and Andrew Bauer are in charge of the prosecution.

The defendants’ ages, and the maximum penalties they face upon conviction are listed in the chart below.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.