Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison on Drug and Gun Charges

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Ted Lee Francis, 40, of Rochester, New York, who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, five grams or more of crack cocaine, and marijuana; conspiracy to affect commerce by robbery; and using, carrying, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to 300 months in prison and a fine by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank H. Sherman, who handled the case, stated that from August 1992 through September 2001, the defendant planned and executed robberies of drug dealers with Anthony Murphy, a/k/a “Supreme,” and others for the purpose of obtaining money, controlled substances (including cocaine base and cocaine) and other things of value. Francis knew that the controlled substances obtained from these robberies thereafter would be unlawfully distributed by participants in the robberies. From October 1997 through 2000, Francis possessed a firearm in furtherance of the drug distribution and robbery conspiracies and aided, abetted and willfully caused others to do so. The defendant was found to be responsible for conspiring to distribute between 3.5 and 5 kilograms of cocaine in the Rochester area. The value of property taken, damaged or destroyed during the robberies was found to be between $50,000 and $250,000.

The sentencing is the culmination of an OCDETF investigation on the part of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Timothy Kernan, assisted by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Sheppard; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota; and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Matthew Renneman.