Date: October 26, 2021 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov Rochester, NY — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that nine defendants were arrested and charged by separate criminal complaints with drug related charges. The charges include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, five kilograms or more of cocaine, which carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine. Named in the complaints are: Richmond Sutton; Roland Miller; Kenneth Sutton; Mohamed Diallo; Marcus Holmes; Dejounge Sharpe; Pamela Green; Daryl Green; and Tavares Wilson. Investigators also executed a total of 32 search warrants on houses and vehicles associated with the organization during today's arrests. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Rochester and Greece Police Departments began investigating the narcotics trafficking of Richmond A. Sutton and the other defendants in 2020. The investigation revealed that they were responsible for the distribution of kilogram quantities of cocaine in the Rochester area. The complaints are the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under the direction of Acting Field Office Director Thomas Brophy; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase; the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the Ontario County Sheriff's Office; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Interim Police Chief David M. Smith; the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Andrew Forsythe; the Brighton Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Catholdi; and the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
