United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Luis Martinez, 51, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five grams or more of methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years and a fine of $5,000,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan K. Glaberson and Michael J. Adler, who are handling the case, stated that in May and June of 2020, Martinez conspired with others to sell methamphetamine. On June 5, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at a Water Street residence, recovering approximately 20 grams of cocaine, a loaded Glock, $3,534 in cash, 14 individually wrapped plastic bags containing a total of approximately 363 grams of methamphetamine, a kilo press, two digital scales, a number of cell phones and tablets, additional smaller bags of cocaine and methamphetamine, and other drug paraphernalia.

On June 10, 2020, investigators received information that Martinez had an outstanding parole warrant issued against him, at which time he was located in a vehicle on Price Street and taken into in custody. Law enforcement also recovered another $37,670 in cash behind a residence. 

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 31, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.