Elison A. Ledesma-Melo, Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking, New York 2024

BUFFALO, N.Y. – A 46-year-old native of the Dominican Republic has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking operation in the Buffalo area.

Elison A. Ledesma-Melo, also known as Carlos Rivera Perez and Ostin M. Echevarria-Roman, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth T. Molisani, who handled the case, Ledesma-Melo was a retail distributor of heroin in the Buffalo area and would travel to the New York, NY, area to obtain heroin, which he would then bring back to Buffalo for distribution.

On September 11, 2019, investigators from the New York State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted surveillance of Ledesma-Melo’s vehicle as it traveled between the Buffalo area and the New York area.

A traffic stop was conducted on Route 20A in Warsaw, NY, and a search of the vehicle revealed a plastic bag containing in excess of 100 grams of suspected heroin in the rear seat/hatch area.

Ledesma-Melo was taken into custody and will be deported to the Dominican Republic once his sentence is complete.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.

The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle heroin and fentanyl trafficking operations in Western New York.

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