BUFFALO, N.Y. – In a stark reminder of the reach of Mexican drug cartels, Max Paul Riestra, 42, was sentenced to serve 216 months in prison for conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford handed down the sentence.
Riestra, a deported citizen of Mexico who operated under several aliases, was pivotal in a drug ring spanning from Sinaloa, Mexico, to Western New York. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler detailed how Riestra used multiple bank accounts to structure over $10 million in deposits across the United States.
Between 2012 and 2016, Riestra and his co-conspirators moved over a ton of cocaine through various channels, including shipping packages from California to cities like Buffalo, Denver, Chicago, and New York City. The defendant’s personal account saw over $1.5 million in structured deposits.
This sentence follows the conviction of six other defendants, including Enrique Munoz and Jose Manuel Lua-Guizar, who were each sentenced to 63 months. Gerardo Ballardo and Presiliano Garcia are the final co-defendants awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr., emphasized the local impact of such cartels, noting that their operations are not just the stuff of fiction but a grim reality on the streets. ‘This Office will remain vigilant in protecting our community,’ he said.
The investigation leading to Riestra’s sentence was conducted by the DEA, HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, and ICE-HSI in Los Angeles. Bank of America also provided assistance in the case.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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