Woman Convicted of Conspiracy and Distribution of Cocaine

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Jazmine Barreto, 33, of Derby, New York, was convicted after a jury trial of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, and using a telephone to facilitate narcotics trafficking. The conspiracy and narcotics trafficking charges carry a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years and a fine of $2,000,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Tripi and Timothy C. Lynch, who prosecuted the case, stated that evidence showed that from April 2007 to April 2008, the defendant obtained large quantities of cocaine and supplied it to other cocaine dealers on the West Side of Buffalo. The recipients in turn processed the cocaine into larger amounts and resold it throughout Buffalo. The trial evidence included court authorized wiretaps in which the defendant arranged cocaine deals with co-conspirators. Some of these conversations took place at the defendant’s place of employment.

“This case presents a somewhat unusual scenario—a major narcotics supplier who happens to be a woman,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “This case should serve as yet another example that our law enforcement partners are ready, willing and able follow the evidence to wherever it leads, and that our office will prosecute all who are responsible for a particular crime.”

The conviction is the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Kollmar, 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 August 10, 2011, at 1 p.m. EST, in Buffalo, N.Y., before Judge Arcara.