Former Niagara Falls Police Officer Stephanie A. Costanzo, 29, pleaded guilty to managing a drug-involved premises, capping a federal case that exposed law enforcement betrayal at the city’s core. The plea, entered before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine.
Costanzo, once sworn to uphold the law, admitted her Grand Avenue residence served as a storage hub for crack cocaine and distribution tools used by her then-live-in boyfriend, Raymond Hopson. Between July 28, 2016, and November 8, 2016, Hopson moved drugs from her home to sell to an undercover officer in multiple controlled buys, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Violanti, who is prosecuting the case.
Hopson, who lived with Costanzo during the conspiracy, stored cocaine and drug paraphernalia at her Grand Avenue address. Though Costanzo did not directly handle drug sales, prosecutors confirmed she was fully aware of the narcotics operation operating under her roof. On November 9, 2016, DEA agents and Niagara Falls Police executed a search warrant, seizing 5.6 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, and packaging materials.
Co-defendant Lindsay Carrier also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. Carrier supplied Hopson with the drug on five separate occasions, all funneled to the undercover officer. A search of her mother’s Willow Avenue residence turned up additional quantities of cocaine and crack, sealing her role in the ring.
The charges against Hopson and Carrier carry a mandatory minimum of five years, up to 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000 fine. Their sentencing is set for May 29, 2018, at 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 p.m., respectively. Costanzo faces judgment the following day, May 30, at 12:30 p.m., before the same judge.
The investigation was led by the Niagara Falls Police Department under Superintendent Bryan Dalporto and the DEA’s New York Field Division, directed by Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt. The case lays bare a troubling nexus of crime and corrupted authority, where a badge became cover for trafficking.
Related Federal Cases
- Bolivia’s Top Drug Cop Gets 25 Years in US Prison · New York
- Bolivian ‘Drug Czar’ Unmasked: 25 Years for Cocaine Conspiracy · Indiana
- Ex-Cop Smutek Gets 8 Years for Selling Date Rape Drug · Rhode Island
- Bolivia’s Top Cop: 25 Years for Fueling the Coke Trade · New York
- From Drug Warrior to Kingpin: Ex-Bolivian Official Gets 25 Years · New York
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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