Buffalo Man Sentenced on Drug Charges

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that David North, Sr., 43, of Buffalo, New York, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and three years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who is handling the case, stated that North conspired with Derek Frank in his drug-distribution activities in Buffalo. The defendant was paid to drive a pickup truck, in which marijuana was hidden, from Phoenix, Arizona, to Buffalo for Frank. Derek Frank then distributed the marijuana to his customers in the Western New York area.

Derek Frank pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and money laundering conspiracy and was sentenced to 135 months in prison. In addition, Transportation Safety Administration employee Minetta Walker, U.S. Airways employee Tinisha Tucker-Anthony, city of Buffalo employee Regina McCullen, and Miguel Guzman were each convicted for their role in the drug trafficking conspiracy.

The sentencing is the culmination of an ongoing investigation on the part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of James C. Spero; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota; Transportation Safety Administration-U.S. Department of Homeland Security, under the direction of Federal Security Director, Derek DePietro; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Brian R. Crowell, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2012, at 1:00 p.m., before Judge Arcara.