A 45-year-old Rochester man has pleaded guilty to armed drug trafficking charges, according to U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr.
Willie J. Wofford, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty on [no date mentioned] before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm and ammunition by an unlawful drug user.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1,000,000 or both.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas E. Gregory and Charles E. Moynihan, Rochester Police Officers were in the area of York Street on February 20, 2018, and saw Wofford engaging in behavior that led them to believe he was selling drugs from his vehicle.
When officers stopped Wofford and spoke with him, they smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and could see marijuana in plastics bags in the rear, passenger area.
The defendant argued with officers over the legality of the stop and refused to get out of his vehicle. Wofford finally exited his vehicle and was arrested after officers attempted to break the windows in order to remove him.
During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered cocaine and marijuana packaged for sale, along with a loaded semiautomatic handgun, in the center console.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
The defendant’s real full name is Willie J. Wofford.
The exact criminal charges are possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm and ammunition by an unlawful drug user.
The city and state are Rochester, New York.
The exact date is February 20, 2018.
Related Federal Cases
- Mendeecees Harris, Cocaine and Heroin Trafficking, New York 2015 · Utah
- Shaeem Grady, Crack Cocaine Distribution and Gun Offenses, New York 2013 · New York
- Rubio, Rolando – Cocaine Trafficking, Texas 2012 · Illinois
- Rubio, Rolando – Cocaine Trafficking, Texas 2012 · Illinois
- Rubio, Rolando – Cocaine Trafficking, Texas 2012 · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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