Genesis Tolentino-Cruz, Heroin Distribution, New York 2023
A 29-year-old Buffalo woman has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in the sale of heroin that led to the death of a 24-year-old man.
Genesis Tolentino-Cruz, 29, of Buffalo, NY, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin.
According to authorities, on February 27, 2019, Buffalo Police Officers responded to a drug overdose call and found a 24-year-old male deceased. The deceased man’s girlfriend told officers that the day before, she met Cruz, and co-defendant Orlando Albert-Arroyo, at a gas station in Cheektowaga to purchase heroin.
The girlfriend said that she and the deceased male used some of the heroin purchased from the defendants. In March and April, 2019, investigators conducted six controlled purchases of heroin from Cruz and Arroyo. On April 19, 2019, a federal search warrant was executed at Cruz and Arroyo’s residence, during which heroin, ammunition, a rifle, a pistol, and drug processing items were seized.
Tolentino-Cruz was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
The sentencing is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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