Lockport Man Sentenced on Drug Conspiracy Charge and Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Charge

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Justin McTigue, aka “Diddy,” 29, of Lockport, New York, was sentenced to six years in prison followed by four years’ supervised release after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine base, by U.S. District Chief Judge William M. Skretny.

Also today, LeShawn Woodard, 29, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie G. Foschio, to a money laundering charge for engaging in unlawful monetary transactions involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000 in value, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

McTigue and Woodard are two of 20 defendants convicted as a result of an investigation involving narcotics trafficking in Lockport, New York.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who handled these cases, stated that McTigue sold cocaine base in the Lockport, New York area from 2009 through August 2010, which was supplied to him by co-defendant Damian Ard. Ard was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Skretny on October 1, 2013 at 9:00 a.m.

Regarding defendant Woodard, from March 2009 through June 2009, Woodard deposited bank checks into bank accounts and transferred United States currency in excess of $40,000 on behalf of Will Johnson. These funds were proceeds of Johnson’s drug distribution activities. On December 27, 2012, Johnson was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and money laundering conspiracy. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Skretny on August 29, 2013 at 9:00 a.m.

These conviction are the culmination of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Dale Kasprzyk; Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Richard M. Frankel, Acting Special Agent in Charge; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero; and the Niagara County Drug Task Force.