Oscar Romero, 35, of Buffalo, NY, stood before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny and admitted his role in a long-running cocaine distribution ring tied to the violent Loiza Boys street gang. Romero pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $2,000,000 fine.
The plea marks the first conviction in a sprawling federal case targeting the Loiza Boys, a West Side Buffalo gang accused of flooding neighborhoods with cocaine and heroin since at least 2006. Prosecutors say Romero was not a low-level dealer but an active participant in a tightly organized criminal enterprise that operated under the radar for over a decade.
The takedown began with a multi-year investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen. Agents relied on wiretaps, undercover buys, and surveillance to dismantle the network. The probe culminated in 2013 with the arrest of Romero and nine others, all allegedly key players in the gang’s drug operations.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 450 grams of heroin, three firearms, and over $70,000 in cash—tangible evidence of the gang’s lucrative trade. While Romero’s direct involvement centered on cocaine, the broader operation revealed a pattern of violence, territorial control, and systemic drug trafficking that poisoned Buffalo’s West Side for years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Duszkiewicz, who is prosecuting the case, emphasized that Romero’s guilty plea sends a message: even entrenched gang networks can be broken. “This organization thought it could operate in the shadows,” Duszkiewicz said. “Today, one of its members faces the full weight of federal justice.”
Sentencing is scheduled for March 15, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Skretny. The remaining nine defendants are set to stand trial on January 3, 2017. As of now, they remain presumed innocent. But with Romero’s cooperation or testimony potentially on the horizon, the Loiza Boys’ days of operating with impunity may be ending.
Related Federal Cases
- Willie Griffin, Schuele Boys Gang Member, Sentenced in Drug Ring · New York
- LRGP Gang Member Gets 168 Months for RICO Charge and Drug Trafficking · New York
- MS-13 Enforcer ‘Chichi’ Romero Gets 5 Years in Racketeering Case · Texas
- Schuele Boys’ Demario James Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking · New York
- Gregory Scott Sentenced in LRGP Crack Cocaine Ring · New York
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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