Bladsell Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Paul S. Griffin, 59, of Blasdell, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who is handling the case, stated that the charges stemmed from a joint federal, state, and local investigation, which revealed that the defendant was responsible for obtaining between 200 and 350 grams of methamphetamine from drug suppliers in the Genesee County area and distributing those drugs to others in the Erie County area between 2006 and 2008.

This case is part of a larger investigation that resulted in the indictment and arrest of members and associates of the Rochester and Monterey (California) Hells Angels for drug trafficking and racketeering-related offenses in February 2012. Along with Griffin, Monterey (California) Hells Angels President Richard W. Mar, 60, Rochester Hells Angels members James H. McAuley, Jr., 62, of Oakfield, New York, Richard E. Riedman, 38, of Webster, New York, Jeffrey A. Tyler, 47, of Rochester, New York, Donna Boon, 46, of Oakfield, New York, and Gordon L. Montgomery, 53, of Batavia, New York, were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

McAuley, Rochester Hells Angels member Robert W. Moran, Jr. a/k/a Bugsy, 59, of Rochester, New York, along with Gina Tata, 47, of Rochester, New York, are charged in the same indictment with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity. Moran and Tata are also charged with conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity, and Tata, Riedman, and Timothy M. Stone, 31, of Gates, New York, are charged with being accessories after the fact to the assault and conspiracy. This is the first conviction in this case.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota; the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gary T. Maha; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Brian R. Crowell, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Division; the New York State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Joseph D’Amico; the City of Batavia Police Department, under the direction of Chief Shawn Heubusch; and the Village of LeRoy Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher K. Hayward.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2013, at 3:45 p.m. before Judge Siragusa.