Pair convicted in drug scheme tied to sea cucumbers | Local News

BUFFALO — A federal jury in Buffalo has convicted the last two members of an international narcotics and money laundering organization that trafficked cocaine, heroin and fentanyl from the the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico all the way to the streets of Lockport and Niagara Falls.

The jury convicted Martha Aguirre, 47, of Orange, California, and Juan Alfaro, 54, of Hacienda, California, of narcotics conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.

Martha Aguirre and Alfaro used “front” companies to launder over $12 million in drug proceeds from Buffalo to Los Angeles.

Federal prosecutors said the pair were members of “a transnational drug trafficking organization” whose territories included Mexico, Arizona, California and New York. The organization was supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel, led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

Martha Aguirre’s brother, Herman E. Aguirre, was the leader of the organization.

Herman Aguirre was previously convicted by a federal jury in Buffalo, along with Lockport resident Troy R. Gillon, on charges of narcotics conspiracy after an eight-week trial. Aguirre was also found guilty of operating a continuing criminal enterprise and money laundering conspiracy.

Federal prosecutors said Aguirre and Gillon were part of “an extraordinary conspiracy that trafficked millions of doses of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in shipping pallets disguised as containing “sea cucumbers.”

The criminal enterprise created multiple fake organizations, including Corral Seafoods, LLC, registered in Cheektowaga, and three companies registered in California, in order to disguise narcotics and launder money. 

Gillon and Aguirre’s organization deposited over $19 million in drug money into these fake seafood accounts between June 2013 and September 2015. Meanwhile, California co-conspirators created bogus invoices that showed Western New Yorkers buying sea cucumbers at astounding rates.

A Wegman’s Food Markets manager, who testified at Gillon and Aguirre’s trial, said none of his company’s local stores carried sea cucumbers because there is almost no demand for it here.

During the course of the investigation of the drug smuggling ring, agents seized more than $5 million worth of narcotics, including more than 115 pounds of cocaine, over 38 pounds of heroin and nearly 19 pounds of fentanyl. Prosecutors said that haul represents about 4.2 million “hits” of cocaine and heroin, and enough fentanyl to kill over four million people.

Evidence presented at trial showed Gillon received 22 pounds of fentanyl from Aguirre and distributed it throughout Western New York.

That fentanyl caused a rash of overdoses in the Lockport area after New Year’s Day in 2015, causing Gillon to stop dealing after he had sold about 4 1/2 pounds of fentanyl.

In March 2015, Gillon sold the remaining 17 1/2 pounds of fentanyl to a co-conspirator. He later told a DEA agent that he sold it back because, “People are dying of this (expletive).” 

Aguirre and Gillon each face potential life sentences.

Two other Lockport men were also convicted for their roles in the drug and money laundering organization.

Trent Adair Hamilton and Dion Cheatham are each awaiting sentencing along with 11 additional co-defendants.

“This verdict represents the coup de grace in the demise of a once flourishing, multi-million dollar, international drug trafficking conspiracy,” U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York James P. Kennedy said. “The volume of drugs moved by this organization endangered the health and welfare of countless Americans, including many here in Western New York.”