Bags of fentanyl seized by the investigation

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the takedown of a drug trafficking operation that flooded communities in the Buffalo and Jamestown areas with fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Two Jamestown residents are among those facing charges. The rest are from the Buffalo area.

The 130-count indictment charges seven individuals with conspiracy and trafficking narcotics. An investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Niagara Falls Police Department (NFPD) seized nearly one kilogram of cocaine worth $30,000, over half a pound of methamphetamine worth $1,500, over one ounce of fentanyl worth $1,600, and more than $4,000 in cash.

“Dismantling dangerous drug trafficking networks is essential to keeping our communities safe,” James said. “These individuals sold a variety of deadly narcotics, including fentanyl, across Western New York, and now they are being brought to justice. I thank our partners in this investigation for their assistance in keeping New Yorkers safe.”

The investigation included court-authorized wiretapping of cellular telephones. During the investigation, wiretaps captured numerous conversations between the defendants, who frequently utilized coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their illicit activities, such as referring to cocaine as “soft,” “hard,” or “girl,” fentanyl as “food” or “boy,” and methamphetamine as “cream.”

As alleged in the indictment, the central figure in the trafficking network, Ronnie Dupree, purchased large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from Dion Anderson, Kenneth Pringle, Antwain Jackson, and others. Dupree and Jackson traveled from Buffalo to Jamestown to meet customers and make sales. Anderson sold cocaine out of his home in Buffalo and provided cocaine to David Vaughn and others. A search warrant of Anderson’s home executed in November 2024 recovered over half a pound of cocaine, a scale with cocaine residue, and more than $4,000. Other members of the trafficking network, including Devan Huntington and Sabrina Leeper, sourced various types of drugs from Jackson, including methamphetamine.

This indictment charges the seven individuals with various crimes related to their involvement in the drug trafficking operation, including various counts of Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A and B felonies), as well as Conspiracy in the Second Degree (a class B felony).

Those charged in the unsealed indictment include:

Dion Anderson, 44 years old of Buffalo, New York;

Ronnie Dupree, 47 years old of Buffalo, New York;

Devan Huntington, 30 years old of Jamestown, New York;

Antwain Jackson, 48 years old of Buffalo, New York;

Sabrina Leeper, 50 years old of Jamestown, New York;

Kenneth Pringle, 50 years old of Niagara Falls, New York; and

David Vaughn, 26 years old of Buffalo, New York

If convicted on the top counts, Pringle faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, Dupree faces a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison, Anderson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and Jackson, Huntington, Leper, and Vaughn face maximum sentences of 10 years in prison.

The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

“Today’s arraignment of these seven individuals, who continuously flooded our upstate neighborhoods with illicit and synthetic drugs, shows the determination we have when targeting those drug trafficking organizations poisoning our communities” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “We are thankful to the New York Attorney General’s Office Organized Crime Task Force and the Niagara Falls Police Department for their partnership in keeping our neighborhoods safe and drug-free.”

Attorney General James would also like to thank the Buffalo Police Department and the New York State Army National Guard Counter Drug Task Force for their invaluable assistance in the investigation.

The investigation was directed by DEA Special Agent David Leary, under the direction of GS Mark Gentile, OCTF Detective Thomas Fournier, under the supervision of OCTF Supervising Detective Ever S. Quiñones, OCTF Upstate Assistant Chief John Monte, and OCTF Deputy Chief Andrew Boss. The OAG’s Investigations Division is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes.

The cases are being prosecuted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorney General Nathanael Kapperman, under the supervision of OCTF Upstate Deputy Chief Maria Moran. Nicole Keary is the Deputy Attorney General in Charge of OCTF. The Division for Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado. Both the Investigations Division and the Division for Criminal Justice are overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.