Rochester Man Sentenced On Drug Trafficking And Gun Possession Charges

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Jose Guerra Caraballo, 43 of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to 15 years in prison Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The defendant was also ordered to forfeit two firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition seized at the time of his arrest.
       
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that between November 2014 and January 2015, law enforcement officers investigated Caraballo and his brother, Jose Miguel Guerra. Controlled purchases of cocaine were arranged and completed between Caraballo and another person.

        On January 21, 2015, a person met Caraballo and Guerra to purchase cocaine, heroin and a firearm. The person was shown the firearm and told that they had to go get cocaine.
 
Caraballo and Guerra were surveilled leaving the area and then observed entering 264 Clifford Avenue in Rochester. They were subsequently arrested by members of the Rochester Police Department. During the search of the vehicle Caraballo and Guerra were in, officers recovered a ROHM. 38 Special revolver, 12 live rounds of .38 Special ammunition, approximately 12.5 grams of heroin, 33 grams of cocaine, marijuana and new/unused glassine bags.
 
Later that day, officers executed search warrants at 15 Bardin Street, a residence leased by Guerra, and 264 Clifford Avenue, locations identified during the investigation. Law enforcement recovered various items including, a firearm, ammunition, cash, drugs and drug paraphernalia.
 
During a post-arrest statement, Guerra told officers he and Caraballo picked up cocaine from a location, later identified to be 264 Clifford Avenue that day. Guerra was convicted of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking.
 
Today’s sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen.