JORDAN FOUND GUILTY AFTER JURY TRIAL

BUFFALO, N.Y.—Martell Jordan, 21, of Buffalo, New York, was found guilty following a jury trial before United States District Judge Richard J. Arcara of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Terrance P. Flynn of the Western District of New York announced today. As a result of the conviction, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison with the possibility of life.

Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Tripi and George Burgasser, who handled the case, stated that between August 2005 and June 2006, the defendant was part of an organization trafficking multiple quantities of cocaine from locations such as Detroit, Michigan and New York City for distribution in Buffalo, New York. Once in Buffalo, the defendant worked with other co-conspirators to distribute large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine on the East Side of Buffalo primarily in the Central Park Neighborhood. The defendant and other members of the cocaine distribution organization also possessed firearms and utilized the threat of violence in order to further their drug dealing operation.

During the trial of this matter a proposed government witness, Christopher Huff, was held in civil contempt and jailed pending completion of the trial when he refused to testify or answer questions despite being ordered to do so by United States District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Huff, through his attorney Pat Brown, explained that he was receiving threats related to his anticipated testimony. Huff had previously pled guilty as a co-conspirator in the case and agreed to provide truthful testimony at trial.

The narcotics organization was brought down on June 23, 2006 when federal agents and task force members executed search warrants at twelve drug stash locations in Buffalo, New York and arrested twenty-one (21) individuals in connection with this narcotics trafficking organization. During trial, numerous members of the narcotics organization who pled guilty provided testimony regarding the scope of the conspiracy and the defendant’s role in assisting with the trafficking and distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine in Buffalo, New York.

The conviction in this action was the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force under the direction of Supervisory Special Agent James Jancewicz and Special Agent in Charge Laurie Bennett, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Dave Dejoe, with assistance from the New York State Police, the Town of Amherst Police Department, the City of Buffalo Police Department, and New York State Parole.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 31, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. EST in Buffalo, New York in front of Judge Arcara.