Buffalo Man Indicted on Fentanyl, Cocaine Charges

Luis Matias, 27, of Buffalo, is staring down a federal prison sentence after being indicted on charges of possessing with intent to distribute—and actually distributing—dangerous quantities of butyryl fentanyl and crack cocaine. The charges, handed down by a federal grand jury, carry a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars and a $1,000,000 fine.

The indictment, announced today by U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr., stems from a July 2017 investigation that uncovered Matias allegedly flooding the Buffalo area with butyryl fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid linked to overdose deaths. Law enforcement sources say the operation moved fast once intelligence confirmed the scale of distribution.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, the case relied heavily on controlled buys conducted by undercover officers and a confidential source. These operations reportedly led investigators directly to Matias, capturing transactions that form the backbone of the federal charges now lodged against him.

Matias was arraigned this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder and ordered held without bond. He remains in federal custody as the case moves forward, with prosecutors signaling they intend to pursue the full weight of the law.

The takedown was the result of a coordinated push by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Field Division, led by Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt; the New York State Police, under Major Edward Kennedy; and the Buffalo Police Department, directed by Commissioner Byron Lockwood. Federal drug task forces have intensified scrutiny on synthetic opioids in Western New York amid a surge in overdose fatalities.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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