Buffalo man sentenced to 20 years for distributing fentanyl which resulted in death
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; New York Division, and U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr., announced that Carlique DeBerry, 40, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of distribution of fentanyl causing death, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan T. Cullinane and Wei Xiang, who handled the case, stated that on Feb. 25, 2016, the defendant traveled to Hamburg, NY, shortly after 9:00 p.m. to the home of a repeat drug customer identified as R.G. DeBerry sold a quantity of “heroin” to R.G. then left. Shortly after midnight, R.G.'s mother found R.G. slumped over deceased in a chair.
Law enforcement officers who responded to the residence seized R.G.'s cell phone. The next morning, the defendant sent a text message to R.G. stating, "Call me wen u get this bro." A police officer pretending to be R.G. responded, leading to the following exchange with the defendant:
“R.G.”: Yo my mins are about used. What's up? That was some good (expletive) last night
Defendant: K Just checkn on u thts all
“R.G.”: That was some heavy stuff wtf was up w thay
Defendant: Its pure thats whats up wit it bro
Deberry then arranged to sell another bundle of the “heroin” for $100.
An autopsy determined that R.G.’s cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication.
Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the DEA Buffalo Resident Office, and the Hamburg Police Department.
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