Area residents included in drug bust ranging from Buffalo to Jamestown

JAMESTOWN — Two Jamestown residents are among seven facing federal charges after the state Attorney General’s office and area police agencies broke up a drug trafficking operation in Buffalo and Jamestown that included fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

The 130-count indictment charges seven individuals with conspiracy and trafficking narcotics. An investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force, in partnership with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and Niagara Falls Police Department, seized nearly one kilogram of cocaine worth $30,000, more than a half a pound of methamphetamine worth $1,500, more than one ounce of fentanyl worth $1,600, and more than $4,000 in cash.

“Dismantling dangerous drug trafficking networks is essential to keeping our communities safe,” said state Attorney General Letitia James. “These individuals sold a variety of deadly narcotics, including fentanyl, across Western New York, and now they are being brought to justice. I thank our partners in this investigation for their assistance in keeping New Yorkers safe.”

The investigation included court-authorized wiretapping of cellular telephones. During the investigation, wiretaps captured numerous conversations between the defendants, who frequently utilized 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.”

As alleged in the indictment, 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. Anderson sold cocaine out of his home in Buffalo and provided cocaine to David Vaughn and others. A search warrant of Anderson’s home executed in November 2024 recovered over half a pound of cocaine, a scale with cocaine residue, and more than $4,000. Other members of the trafficking network, including Devan Huntington and Sabrina Leeper, sourced various types of drugs from Jackson, including methamphetamine.

Huntington was charged in September with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (large capacity feeding device), third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (possesses three or more firearms) and criminal possession of a firearm after his vehicle was pulled over by officers of the Jamestown Police Department’s K-9 Unit on Prather Avenue near Prospect Street for several alleged multiple moving violations. During the course of the investigation it was determined that Huntington was allegedly in possession of two loaded pistols, an unloaded pistol and a large capacity feeding device. Police report Huntington does not have a valid pistol permit and is not allowed to possess the firearms.

In February, Huntington was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence after a traffic stop. Police say upon arrival at the city jail, Huntington was allegedly found in possession of a large quantity of methamphetamine that he had been concealing on his person while he then tried to allegedly destroy the evidence by ripping the bags of methamphetamine and throwing them on the ground. In total, officers recovered 51.3 grams of methamphetamine as a result of the investigation.

This indictment charges the seven individuals with various crimes related to their involvement in the drug trafficking operation, including various counts of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance (class A and B felonies), as well as second-degree conspiracy (a class B felony).

In addition to Huntington and Leeper,

Those charged in the unsealed indictment include:

Dion Anderson, 44 years old of Buffalo, New York;

Ronnie Dupree, 47 years old of Buffalo, New York;

Devan Huntington, 30 years old of Jamestown, New York;

Antwain Jackson, 48 years old of Buffalo, New York;

Sabrina Leeper, 50 years old of Jamestown, New York;

Kenneth Pringle, 50 years old of Niagara Falls, New York; and

David Vaughn, 26 years old of Buffalo, New York

Last March, Jackson was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated per se, speed in zone, and moving from lane unsafely after a traffic stop on Route 60 in Pomfret. He was also charged with obstructing governmental administration after allegedly jumping out a window during a 2016 drug bust on North Main Street in Jamestown. During that raid, police seized crack cocaine, more than a pound of marijuana, prescription pills, scales and packaging material.

If convicted on the top counts, Pringle faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, Dupree faces a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison, Anderson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and Jackson, Huntington, Leper, and Vaughn face maximum sentences of 10 years in prison.

“Today’s arraignment of these seven individuals, who continuously flooded our upstate neighborhoods with illicit and synthetic drugs, shows the determination we have when targeting those drug trafficking organizations poisoning our communities” said Frank Tarentino, DEA New York special agent in charge. “We are thankful to the New York Attorney General’s Office Organized Crime Task Force and the Niagara Falls Police Department for their partnership in keeping our neighborhoods safe and drug-free.”

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