BUFFALO, NY – Alexis Javier Centeno-Baez, 22, of Buffalo, is facing a lengthy federal prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of drug charges stemming from a 2015 cocaine bust. The conviction, announced today by U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr., centers around a scheme to import a significant quantity of the drug into Western New York.
The feds say the operation unraveled on August 24, 2015, when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted a suspicious package originating from Puerto Rico. Inside, investigators found two kilograms of cocaine cunningly concealed within a LEGO box – a pathetic attempt to mask the illegal contents. A search warrant was quickly obtained, confirming the presence of the narcotics.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wei Xiang and Brendan T. Cullinane, authorities orchestrated a controlled delivery. Centeno-Baez took the bait, arriving at the designated address to claim the package. But as Drug Enforcement Administration agents moved in to make the arrest, the suspect panicked. He abandoned the cocaine-filled LEGO box in his vehicle and bolted on foot.
The foot chase didn’t last long. DEA agents quickly apprehended Centeno-Baez just three blocks from the scene. The evidence – the LEGO box and its illicit contents – spoke for itself. He was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and attempt to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
The bust was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, led by Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, and the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, under Inspector-in-Charge Shelly Binkowski. They’ve clearly sent a message to anyone thinking of using the mail to move poison: we’re watching.
Centeno-Baez now faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, with a potential maximum sentence of 40 years. He also could be slapped with a $5,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for February 9, 2016, at 12:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, who oversaw the trial. Expect a harsh sentence; the feds don’t mess around with this kind of quantity.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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