Rochester Man Pleads Guilty To Dealing Ecstasy

BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Tomas Martinez-Devedia, 27, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possessing with intent to distribute and distributing MDMA (Ecstasy). The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha Couslon, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating the defendant's possession and distribution of controlled substances that he acquired via Bitcoin. On October 26 and December 3, 2018, HSI conducted controlled purchases of MDMA from Martinez-Devedia. On December 10, 2018, investigators executed a search warrant at the defendant’s University Avenue apartment in Rochester. They recovered cutting agents, a scale, $4,990.00, multiple electronic devices, and three bags containing suspected ketamine.

The defendant was charged by a criminal complaint December 2018 and, following his initial appearance in District Court, was released on conditions, including that he not commit any offense in violation of federal, state, or local law. On January 6, 2020, Customs and Border Protection notified HSI that three international mail parcels originating in Barcelona, Spain, and destined for two addresses in the Rochester area, had been inspected and found to contain a brown chunky substance that field tested positive for MDMA. On January 10, 2020, members of the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted a controlled delivery of the three suspicious postal packages. Investigators then executed search warrants at the two locations. When questioned, the recipients of the packages advised investigators that the packages were supposed to be delivered to the defendant. Later that day, investigators conducted a controlled delivery of two parcels filled with sham to the defendant, who was arrested at that time.

The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations; and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.