Rochester Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Drug Trafficking

A Rochester man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in a major drug trafficking operation. Edward Mighty, 40, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Mighty was arrested in February 2015 along with several other suspects, including Seymour Brown, Andre Taylor, Ricardo Bailey, Robert Wilson, Kenneth Harper, Desmond Bice, and Christopher Samuels. The group was accused of operating a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation in the Rochester area.

According to prosecutors, Mighty was one of the leaders of the operation and obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine from Winifredo Gonzales in Brooklyn. The cocaine was then transported to Rochester and processed, re-packaged, and distributed through multiple sellers in the area.

Law enforcement monitored a vehicle used by the organization to transport cocaine from Brooklyn to Rochester and arrested Gonzales at a residence in Brooklyn. Agents also seized 17 kilograms of cocaine, two handguns, and $70,000 in cash from the residence.

The vehicle was then tracked to a residence in Rochester, where Mighty was taken into custody along with Bailey. Officers also arrested Brown at his residence and seized multiple cell phones, a loaded handgun, and $3,147 in cash.

The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who stated that Mighty was one of the leaders of the Rochester-based drug trafficking organization. Mighty’s organization supplied numerous upper and mid-level cocaine distributors in the area, including Robert Wilson and his partner Kenneth Harper.

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