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Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Conspiracy
A Buffalo man has pleaded guilty to a cocaine conspiracy charge, marking the latest development in a sprawling investigation into a Buffalo area drug ring.
Antoine Gilbert, 43, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
The charges against Gilbert stem from an investigation that revealed the defendant conspired with co-defendants Ronnie Charleston, Louis Gilbert, and Saan Thompson to sell cocaine in the City of Buffalo. According to prosecutors, Gilbert purchased approximately 75 ounces of cocaine from Thompson on 18 different occasions between December 21, 2019, and March 13, 2020.
On August 5, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Gilbert’s Wecker Street residence and seized cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, $2,050 in U.S. currency, a digital scale, four cell phones, and a computer.
Separately, Ronnie Charleston, also of Buffalo, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison by Judge Arcara for his role in the conspiracy. Charleston was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Prosecutors revealed that Charleston purchased approximately 49 grams of cocaine from Thompson on six separate occasions between December 2019 and January 2020. Investigators also seized approximately 1,500 rounds of assorted ammunition, three firearm magazines, $5,000 U.S. currency, approximately 12 grams of cocaine, and three digital scales during a search of Charleston’s Lisbon Avenue residence on August 5, 2020.
Thompson and Louis Gilbert are awaiting sentencing after previously being convicted in connection with the conspiracy.
The investigation into the Buffalo area drug ring was a collaborative effort between Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Buffalo Police Department.
Antoine Gilbert is scheduled to be sentenced on October 14, 2021, before Judge Arcara.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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