West Seneca Couple Indicted on Drug Charges
| U.S. Attorney’s Office June 17, 2011 |
ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a 10-count indictment charging Vincent Stuchal, 46, and his wife Caroline, 38, both of West Seneca, with conspiring to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine and with possessing in excess of a half a kilogram of cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Vincent Stuchal is also charged with distribution of cocaine. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $2,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Bruce, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, Vincent Stuchal distributed cocaine on eight separate occasions between September 2009 and October 2010. The government is seeking the forfeitures of $630,000, including seven parcels of real estate in the City of Buffalo and separate parcels in West Seneca and Blasdell.
Vincent and Caroline Stuchal surrendered to law enforcement earlier today and were arraigned before Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Kollmar; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John P. Gilbride; and the West Seneca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Edward Gehen.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.