Rochester Man Pleads Guilty To Drug Charge

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Raymond Collazo, 30, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, a fine of $5,250,000 or both. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that Collazo led a Rochester-based drug organization which processed, packaged and resold large quantities of crack cocaine and heroin in the City of Rochester. Collazo and co-defendant Luis Abril utilized multiple locations, including 617 Ridgeway Avenue in Rochester to store, process and distribute the narcotics, and armed themselves while doing so.

On April 24, 2014, Collazo, Abril and others were arrested following the execution of multiple search warrants in Rochester, as well as Collazo’s residence in Orlando, Florida.  Collazo and Abril were taken into custody at 617 Ridgeway Avenue where officers seized over 12 grams of cocaine packaged for sale, 200 grams of heroin, three loaded handguns, one of which was stolen, dozens of rounds of ammunition, $2,466 in U.S. currency, and paraphernalia for processing, packaging, and distributing cocaine and heroin.

Abril was previously convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison.      

Today’s plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and included involvement by the part of Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Delano A. Reid, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Sandra Doorley.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 25th at 2:15 p.m. before Judge Siragusa.