United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ERIE COUNTY, N.Y> – Ray Donovan, special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, Attorney General Letitia James, and New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett today announced the arrests of 23 people for their roles in two drug trafficking rings operating in New York City and Western New York. In two separate indictments, the 23 individuals are charged with trafficking heroin and cocaine from New York City and Puerto Rico into Western New York, including three individuals charged as Operating as a Major Trafficker, which carries a maximum of life in prison if convicted. During the course of the two investigations, 12 kilograms of cocaine and two kilograms of heroin with a street value of $1.3 million were recovered. 

“Cocaine and heroin have been New York’s drugs of choice over the years, but today’s street dealers are making them deadlier with fentanyl, accounting for 60 percent of all fatal overdoses in America,” said Donovan. “This investigation focused on three drug kingpins responsible for supplying the cocaine and heroin foundation to the toxic mixture being sold throughout New York. Through good police work, investigative techniques, and collaboration, 23 drug traffickers are in jail and two major criminal organizations dismantled.”   

“Illicit drugs have no place on our streets, in our homes, or being transported through the mail,” said James. “These individuals have been charged with trafficking significant amounts of heroin and cocaine into Western New York, flooding our communities with dangerous drugs and putting New Yorkers in harm’s way. Let this serve as a loud and clear message: Drug trafficking will not be tolerated in New York.” 

“Today’s arrests are the result of an aggressive strategy to stop illegal drug trafficking and keep heroin, cocaine and other deadly drugs off our streets,” said Corlett. “Together, with our partners in federal, local and state law enforcement, we have dismantled several dangerous trafficking operations and stopped the infiltration of a large quantity of narcotics into our communities. We will continue to work vigilantly to put dangerous individuals like these criminals behind bars.” 

The two investigations involved state and local law enforcement agents led by the New York State Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force, in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Buffalo Resident Office, the DEA Buffalo Task Force, and the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit. Today’s takedown concluded a 17-month overall investigation into a drug network that was operating across the region.

During these investigations, it was discovered that Reinaldo Martinez, Jr. aka “Gordo” was mailing kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to two separate groups of narcotics traffickers operating in Western New York.

In the first indictment, codenamed “Operation Packages,” the investigation began with Kevin Martinez, who was selling heroin and cocaine from an address on Walden Avenue in Buffalo. Utilizing electronic surveillance, investigators learned that Martinez was having cocaine mailed in packages from Puerto Rico to several addresses in Buffalo. It is alleged that Reinaldo Martinez, Jr. aka “Gordo”, Kevin’s cousin, was one of the individuals who mailed kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico, to his brother, Gabriel Martinez. It was then sold by Gabriel, Kevin, and other members of the family. 

It was also learned that Julio Resto, known as “Benny,” was responsible for obtaining heroin for the group. During the course of the investigation, a vehicle containing a hidden compartment which housed two kilograms of heroin with a street value of more than $400,000, was stopped in Buffalo just before the drugs were delivered to Resto. Wiretaps captured numerous conversations between Resto and Alvin Santiago Santiago, a New York City-based trafficker who arranged for the transport, regarding the movement of that heroin. In addition, a search was conducted at a residence on Landon Street in Buffalo, which resulted in the recovery of half a kilogram of cocaine, two loaded firearms, and $17,360 in cash.

In the second indictment, codenamed “Operation Transport,” the investigation began with Steven Gonzalez who was selling heroin from several different addresses on the West Side of Buffalo. Using electronic surveillance, investigators learned that Heriberto Rivera was supplying both cocaine and heroin to Steven Gonzalez. Rivera’s heroin source would supply narcotics to Geral Batista and Argely Martinez who would transport heroin from New York City into the Western New York area for delivery to Heriberto and others. Batista and Martinez then collected money to transport back to their New York City source. During the course of the investigation, police seized $82,000 that was secured in a custom-built hidden compartment in the vehicle occupied and driven by both Geral Batista and Argely Martinez.

The investigation of Heriberto Rivera led law enforcement back to Reinaldo Martinez, Jr. aka “Gordo.” It was learned that Martinez worked with Jose Mendez in the coordination of mailing packages of cocaine from Puerto Rico to various addresses in the Western New York region. Once again keeping this a family affair, one such package was destined for delivery to the Buffalo residence of Reinaldo Martinez, Sr. and Barbara Martinez, the father and mother-in-law of Reinaldo Martinez, Jr. The package intended for delivery to the residence of Reinaldo Martinez, Jr.’s father was intercepted by the U.S. Postal Inspectors and contained 3,005 grams of cocaine or more than 6.6 pounds. Two other packages bound for separate Western New York addresses were intercepted and removed from the mail stream and found to contain 1,989 and 2,006 grams of cocaine. The three packages contained a total of 7,000 grams of cocaine, (7 kilos which is also the equivalent of 15.4 pounds) that were intercepted before they could hit the streets and further endanger the community. 

The Attorney General’s indictment relating to “Operation Packages”, which was previously unsealed in Erie County Supreme Court oFeb. 27, 2019, charges the 15 individuals with crimes in relation to their involvement in the narcotics trafficking operation, including Operating as a Major Trafficker and various counts of Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A and B felonies), as well as Conspiracy to commit those crimes (class B felony). Of the 15 individuals charged in this indictment, 14 have been arraigned and 10 have pleaded guilty.

Those charged in this indictment include:
 

Kevin Martinez, 24 years old;
Gabriel Martinez Rosa, 29 years old;
Alvin Santiago Santiago, aka Alexander Eglis Grateral-Duran, aka Victor Nieves, aka Julio Cesar Riascoes-Bolanos, 36 years old;
Reinaldo Martinez, aka “Gordo”, 35 years old;
Alexander Martinez, 30 years old;
Luis Martinez Sabater, 59 years old;
Edgardo Martinez, 55 years old;
Reynaldo Martinez, 54 years old;
Danex Martinez, 22 years old;
Julio Resto, aka “Benny”, 47 years old;
Michael Pagan, 19 years old;
Gualbert Alvarez, aka “Luisy”, 23 years old;
Demario Boler, 40 years old;
Bryan Garcia, 23 years old; and
Jorge Rosa Garcia, 32 years old.

The Attorney General’s indictment relating to “Operation Transport”, which was unsealed today in Erie County Supreme Court, charges the eight individuals with crimes in relation to their involvement in the narcotics trafficking operation, including Operating as a Major Trafficker and various counts of Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A and B felonies, as well as Conspiracy to commit those crimes (class B felony) and Criminal Facilitation (class C felony). 

Those charged in today’s unsealed indictment include:

Steven Gonzalez, 43 years old,
Heriberto Rivera, 47 years old,
Reinaldo Martinez, Jr. aka “Gordo,” 35 years old,
Jose Mendez, 26 years old,
Reinaldo Martinez, Sr., aka Reynaldo Martinez, 54 years old,
Barbara Martinez,  39 years old,
Geral Batista, 29 years old,
Argely Martinez, 30 years old.

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 takedown is the latest in the Attorney General’s SURGE Initiative (Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic) to root out violent drug trafficking; since launching in 2017, SURGE has taken 529 alleged traffickers off the streets.