Katherine Dejesus-Gonzalez, Cocaine Conspiracy, New York 2018

Buffalo, New York resident Katherine Dejesus-Gonzalez, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Dejesus-Gonzalez conspired with Edgar Joel Jimenez-Rodriguez, Jose Garcia-Santiago, and others to sell cocaine between October 2017 and July 19, 2018.

On May 26, 2018, the New York State Police conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by co-conspirator Jose Garcia-Santiago. Dejesus-Gonzalez was a passenger. Troopers seized five kilograms of cocaine from the vehicle.

Additionally, investigators intercepted conversations involving the defendant facilitating drug trafficking activities with her co-conspirators. In September 2017, the U.S. Postal Service intercepted packages arriving from Puerto Rico which were addressed to various residences in Niagara Falls. Postal inspectors seized approximately five kilograms of cocaine that were intended for the defendant and her co-conspirators.

Edgar Joel Jimenez-Rodriguez and Jose Garcia-Santiago were previously convicted. Jimenez-Rodriguez has been sentenced, Garcia-Santiago is awaiting sentencing.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata; and the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET), under the direction of Lieutenant Kevin Reyes and Major Mary Clark.

Katherine Dejesus-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdny/pr/niagara-falls-woman-pleads-guilty-her-role-cocaine-conspiracy