Two Jamestown residents have been indicted in connection with a regional drug trafficking operation that brought in fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine to the Jamestown and Buffalo areas. On Thursday, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a 130-count indictment charging seven people with conspiracy and trafficking narcotics. An investigation led by the Attorney General's (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), in partnership with the DEA and Niagara Falls Police Department, seized nearly one kilogram of cocaine worth $30,000, over half a pound of methamphetamine worth $1,500, more than one ounce of fentanyl worth $1,600, and more than $4,000 in cash. The investigation included court-authorized wiretapping of cell phones. Wiretaps captured numerous conversations between the defendants, who are accused of using frequently utilized coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their illicit activities, such as referring to cocaine as "soft," "hard," or "girl," fentanyl as "food" or "boy," and methamphetamine as "cream."
According to the indictment, 47-year-old Ronnie Dupree of Buffalo was the central figure in the drug trafficking network. He allegedly purchased large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine from 44-year-old Dion Anderson of Buffalo, 50-year-old Kenneth Pringle of Niagara Falls, 48-year-old Antwain Jackson of Buffalo, and others. Dupree and Jackson allegedly traveled from Buffalo to Jamestown to meet customers and make sales. Anderson is accused of selling cocaine out of his home in Buffalo and providing cocaine to 26-year-old David Vaughn and others. A search warrant of Anderson's home executed in November recovered over half a pound of cocaine, a scale with cocaine residue, and more than $4,000 in cash. Other members of the trafficking network, including 30-year-old Devan Huntington and 50-year-old Sabrina Leeper -- both of Jamestown -- sourced various types of drugs from Jackson, including methamphetamine.
James says the indictment charges the seven suspects with various crimes related to their involvement in the drug trafficking operation, including various counts of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance (Class A and B felonies), as well as a Class B felony count of 2nd-degree conspiracy. If convicted on the top counts, Pringle faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, Dupree faces a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison, Anderson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and Jackson, Huntington, Leeper and Vaughn face maximum sentences of 10 years in prison.
