Attorney General James Announces Convictions and Sentencings of Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Methamphetamine Traffickers in Western New York

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the guilty pleas and sentencings of members of a drug trafficking operation that sold fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine throughout Western New York. An investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) recovered nearly one kilogram of cocaine worth $30,000, more than one-half pound of methamphetamine worth $1,500, over one ounce of fentanyl worth $1,600, and approximately $4,000 in cash. All seven defendants were indicted in February 2025 and have since pleaded guilty. As a result of their pleas, the defendants have admitted to their roles in the trafficking operation and have been sentenced. The central figures of the trafficking operation will serve up to 10 years in state prison.

“Drug traffickers who flood our communities with deadly fentanyl and opioids threaten the safety of all New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James. “I thank my partners in law enforcement for their commitment to safeguarding our streets and protecting New Yorkers from dangerous illegal drugs. My office will continue fighting to dismantle drug trafficking rings that spread violence and addiction.”

“These convictions and sentences send an unmistakable message: those who profit from poisoning our communities will be identified, pursued, and held accountable,” said DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “These drug traffickers turned communities across Western New York into marketplaces for fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, putting lives at risk with every sale. These individuals operated under the false belief that coded language and secret transactions would shield them from law enforcement. They were wrong. The DEA remains relentless in its mission to dismantle drug trafficking networks, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with Attorney General James, the Organized Crime Task Force, and our law enforcement partners to ensure these criminals face justice.”

The investigation revealed that the central figure in the trafficking network, Ronnie Dupree, purchased large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from Dion Anderson, Kenneth Pringle, Antwain Jackson, and others. Dupree and Jackson traveled from Buffalo to Jamestown to meet customers and make sales. The sales were arranged over the phone, and meetings took place at various locations throughout Western New York. Anderson sold cocaine out of his home in Buffalo and provided cocaine to David Vaughn and others. The investigation included a search of Anderson’s home, which recovered over half a pound of cocaine, a scale with cocaine residue, and more than $4,000 in cash. Other members of the trafficking network, including Devan Huntington and Sabrina Leeper, sourced various types of drugs from Jackson, including methamphetamine.

The investigation also included court-authorized wiretapping of cellular telephones. During the investigation, wiretaps captured numerous conversations between the defendants, who frequently used coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their illicit activities, such as referring to cocaine as “soft,” “hard,” or “girl,” fentanyl as “food” or “boy,” and methamphetamine as “cream.”

Bags of fentanyl seized by the investigation

Bags of methamphetamine (left) and cocaine (right) seized by the investigation

The seven defendants charged have all pleaded guilty and six have been sentenced in Erie County Court before Judge Suzanne Maxwell Barnes. As part of their guilty pleas, the defendants admitted to their roles as purchasers and distributors of large amounts of illegal drugs:

Dion Anderson, 46, of Buffalo pleaded guilty in November 2025 to two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree (class A-II felonies) and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. During his guilty plea, Anderson admitted to selling cocaine. He was sentenced on March 27, 2026 to eight years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Ronnie Dupree, 49, of Buffalo pleaded guilty in November 2025 to two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree (class A-II felonies) and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree (a class A-II felony). As part of his plea, he admitted to selling cocaine. He was sentenced today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Devan Huntington, 32, of Jamestown pleaded guilty in November 2025 to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. As part of his plea, he admitted to possessing methamphetamine with intent to sell. He is still awaiting sentencing.
Antwain Jackson, 50, of Buffalo pleaded guilty in June 2026 to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree (a class A-II felony). As part of his guilty plea, he admitted to selling methamphetamine. He was sentenced on September 29, 2026 to six years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Sabrina Leeper, 52, of Jamestown pleaded guilty in September 2025 to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. As part of her plea, she admitted to selling methamphetamine. She was sentenced on January 15, 2026 to five years of probation.
Kenneth Pringle, 52, of Niagara Falls pleaded guilty in September 2025 to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. As part of his plea, he admitted to selling cocaine. He was sentenced on December 17, 2025 to seven years in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision.
David Vaughn, 28, of Buffalo pleaded guilty in November 2025 to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. During his guilty plea, he admitted to possessing cocaine with intent to sell. He was sentenced on May 20, 2026 to five years of probation.

These sentences mark the conclusion of a 19-month prosecution, following a joint investigation led by the OCTF in partnership with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Niagara Falls Police Department.

Attorney General James would like to thank the Buffalo Police Department and the New York State Army National Guard Counter Drug Task Force for their invaluable assistance in the investigation.

The investigation was directed by DEA Special Agent David Leary, under the direction of GS Mark Gentile, and OCTF Detective Thomas Fournier, under the supervision of OCTF Supervising Detective Ever S. Quiñones and OCTF Deputy Chief Andrew Boss. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Investigator Oliver Pu-Folkes.

The cases are being prosecuted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorney General Nathanael Kapperman with the assistance of Legal Support Analyst Jason Nau, under the supervision of OCTF Upstate Deputy Chief Maria Moran. Nicole Keary is the Deputy Attorney General in Charge of OCTF. Both OCTF and the Investigations Bureau are part of the Division for Criminal Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux.

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