James Kendrick Gets Life for 2 Murders in Drug Empire Bloodshed

James Kendrick, a central figure in a decades-long narcotics empire rooted in Rochester, has been sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years for orchestrating two brutal murders to protect his criminal enterprise. U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. handed down the sentence after a federal jury convicted Kendrick of the killings of Francisco Santos and Ryan Cooper, along with multiple drug and firearm charges that exposed a trail of bloodshed stretching from 1993 to 2011.

Kendrick, alongside his brother Pablo “Paul” Plaza, led a violent drug trafficking ring that ruled parts of Rochester through fear, intimidation, and murder. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everardo A. Rodriguez and Melissa M. Marangola, who prosecuted the case, detailed how the brothers maintained control by eliminating perceived threats — including their own workers. Francisco Santos, known as “Cisco,” was executed in October 1998 after Kendrick and Plaza believed he stole drugs, cash, and firearms. His body was discovered buried on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation in May 1999.

Before killing Santos, the pair launched a retaliatory drive-by shooting at the home of his father, step-mother, and two young sisters, aged four and six. The attack missed its intended target but underscored the callous disregard for innocent life. Ryan Cooper, a cousin to both Kendrick and Plaza, was murdered in the spring of 1999 after the brothers suspected he would cooperate with law enforcement about their drug operation and Santos’ killing. Cooper’s remains have never been found.

The trial revealed even more chilling acts of violence. On January 14, 2010, Kendrick and Plaza orchestrated the murder of Jose Troche, another member of the conspiracy, fearing he would turn informant. To cover his tracks, Kendrick walked into a local supermarket during the killing, ensuring he’d be seen on surveillance video — a cold, calculated bid for an alibi that ultimately failed.

In July 2009, Plaza ordered associates Damion Colabatistto and Angelo Ocasio to eliminate a rival who had injured him in a fight. The hit went horribly wrong: the gunmen arrived at 137 Cameron Street, saw Meosha Harmon at an upstairs window, and fatally shot her, mistaking her for the target. Colabatistto and Ocasio were later convicted in separate trials and now await sentencing. Nine other defendants tied to the conspiracy have already been convicted on drug, firearm, and violent crime charges.

The takedown of James Kendrick culminated a years-long joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), led by Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, and the Rochester Police Department’s Violent Crime Team/Firearms Suppression Unit, under Chief Michael Ciminelli. With Kendrick now behind bars for life, federal prosecutors say one of Rochester’s most violent drug syndicates has been dismantled — but not before leaving a legacy of death and destruction across the city.

RELATED: Pablo ‘Paul’ Plaza Gets Life for 3 Murders in Drug Empire