Osvaldo Rivera-Amaro, 46, of Tonawanda, NY, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 46 months for attempting to possess and distribute cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico. The hard-fought bust culminated in a sting operation that exposed a cross-island drug pipeline funneled through the U.S. mail.
Rivera-Amaro was convicted of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine, a charge that stuck after a meticulously executed investigation by federal authorities. U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. confirmed the sentencing, carried out by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford in Buffalo, NY.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, the cocaine was mailed from Puerto Rico via the U.S. Postal Service. On December 15, 2017, inspectors intercepted a package containing just over two kilograms of pure cocaine. The parcel was addressed to Iramarie Velez at a residence on Crane Place in Tonawanda. Authorities replaced the drugs with sham cocaine before allowing the package to proceed.
On December 28, 2017, Velez accepted the package. Surveillance footage captured her leaving the home, returning minutes later with Rivera-Amaro in tow. She re-entered the residence, retrieved the parcel, and placed it in the back of his vehicle. Moments later, Rivera-Amaro was detained. A search of his car revealed the decoy package stashed in the trunk.
Iramarie Velez, a co-defendant in the case, has already been convicted and is awaiting her own sentencing. Her role in accepting and transferring the package proved pivotal in sealing Rivera-Amaro’s fate. The collaboration between postal and federal drug enforcement painted a tight, inescapable case.
The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, led by Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan of the New York Field Division. The agencies continue to target drug networks exploiting postal logistics for trafficking.
Related Federal Cases
- Sasha Melendez Gets 37 Months for Cocaine Smuggle Scheme · Puerto Rico
- Buffalo Man Gets 12 Years for Heroin, Cocaine Ring · Puerto Rico
- Buffalo Coke Runner Gets 26 Months · Puerto Rico
- Abraham Moisés Pagán-Rola Busted with 16.7 Kilo Cocaine Haul at SJU Airport · Puerto Rico
- Jose Luis Pacheco-Montes Gets 46 Months for Cocaine Scheme · Puerto Rico
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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