Miguel Figueroa Pleads Guilty to Selling Fentanyl in Buffalo

Miguel Figueroa, 32, of Puerto Rico, admitted in federal court to dealing deadly fentanyl-laced drugs on the streets of Buffalo. The man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and actual distribution of 10 grams or more of a mixture containing butyryl fentanyl and furanyl fentanyl. The charge, prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Figueroa’s criminal conduct unfolded in early 2017 when he sold drugs to a confidential informant working under DEA supervision. On March 7 and April 11, 2017, he exchanged substances for $1,100 in cash during controlled buys. Forensic analysis confirmed the drugs contained butyryl fentanyl, U-47700, furanyl fentanyl, and fentanyl — synthetic opioids responsible for hundreds of overdose deaths nationwide.

The operation intensified when law enforcement executed a state search warrant at Figueroa’s residence on 15th Street in Buffalo on April 24, 2017. Inside, agents found a plastic bag and five glassine envelopes with powdery residue. Lab tests confirmed butyryl fentanyl in the bag and one envelope. The stash house also yielded clear signs of distribution: packaging materials, a digital scale, and $3,137 in cash — likely proceeds from prior sales.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins is handling the prosecution, presenting evidence that ties Figueroa directly to a dangerous underground drug pipeline. His guilty plea removes the need for trial, but underscores the ongoing crisis of synthetic opioids infiltrating Western New York. Federal authorities stress that even small quantities of fentanyl analogs can fuel overdose epidemics in vulnerable communities.

The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Field Division, under Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt. The DEA has repeatedly warned that street-level dealers like Figueroa are often unaware of the potency and lethality of the substances they’re pushing — but ignorance carries no weight in federal court.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. With no plea agreement reducing his exposure, Figueroa faces up to two decades behind bars — a stark reminder that trafficking in poison comes with a steep price.