Tomas Figueroa, Julio Sanchez Plead Guilty to Heroin Conspiracy

More than 100 grams of heroin, cash, and packaging gear—this was the deadly haul uncovered at a West Delavan Avenue residence in Buffalo during a February 2014 raid that has now led to guilty pleas from two men at the center of a federal drug conspiracy. Tomas Figueroa, 31, and Julio Sanchez, 30, both of Buffalo, NY, admitted in federal court to possession with intent to distribute, facing a mandatory minimum of five years behind bars.

The Buffalo takedown unfolded on February 26, 2014, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at the West Delavan Avenue home. Inside, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration found not just the heroin—but drug paraphernalia used for repackaging and $4,000 in cash. Figueroa and Sanchez were arrested at the scene, along with a third suspect, Elias Figueroa, whose case remains pending.

Both men pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo, admitting their roles in a broader network that trafficked heroin from New York City into Western New York. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, prosecuting the case, tied the evidence directly to a coordinated distribution operation.

The investigation was led by the DEA’s New York Field Division under Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt. According to court records, the operation targeted a persistent flow of narcotics into Buffalo, with Figueroa and Sanchez acting as key local links. Authorities believe the conspiracy moved significant quantities of heroin over an extended period.

Sentencing is set for early May 2017: Tomas Figueroa will face Judge Vilardo on May 3 at 10:00 a.m., followed by Julio Sanchez on May 4 at the same time. Both face steep prison terms as federal prosecutors push for maximum accountability in a region ravaged by opioid addiction and drug-related violence.

The charges against Elias Figueroa and two others arrested the same day remain pending. As always, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reminds the public that an indictment is merely an accusation—defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.