Thirteen Defendants Charged in 2 Separate Indictments for Narcotics Conspiracy (DOJ)

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that 13 defendants were charged in two separate indictments with narcotics conspiracy. The following defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years:

• Terrence Phillips a/k/a Marlo a/k/a G, 35, of Buffalo, NY;
• Alexis Rivera a/k/a AR, 31, of Buffalo, NY;
• Jamel Joshua Cunningham a/k/a Jazzo, 40, of Cheektowaga, NY;
• Rokym Knox a/k/a Tommy a/k/a Roddy, 32, of Buffalo, NY;
• Kyle Phillips a/k/a Bruce, 30, of Buffalo, NY;
• Daija Mellerson, 33, of Cheektowaga, NY;
• Alazee Smith, 29, of Buffalo, NY;
• Ashley Johnson, 34, of Lancaster, NY; and
• Fernando Mercado-Vazquez, 28, of Buffalo, NY.

Some defendants are also facing additional charges, including possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, maintaining a drug involved premises, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

According to the indictment, beginning in September 2025, the defendants conspired to sell cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl. They used residences on West Avenue in Buffalo and Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga to conduct their drug trafficking activities. Members of the conspiracy also utilized firearms.

The second indictment charges conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 50 kilograms or more of marijuana, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Named in the second indictment are:

• Omar Ali, 33;
• Kairo Machado-Arguedas, 26;
• Luthor Jones, 33; and
• Ahmad Elabed, 41, all of Buffalo, NY.

Some defendants are also charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, maintaining a drug involved premises, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to the second indictment, beginning in December 2025, the defendants conspired to sell marijuana, utilizing residences on Connecticut Street in Buffalo and Sweeney Street in North Tonawanda to conduct their drug trafficking activities. Members also utilized firearms.

"These arrests result from an FBI Safe Streets Task Force investigation undertaken pursuant to the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, which was established to, in part, rid our communities of dangerous drug traffickers who fill our streets with narcotics that too often have tragic consequences, including death," stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. "All too often, these drug traffickers rely on firearms and other acts of violence to hold our community hostage. This effort means there are now 13 less traffickers on the streets."

"This operation highlights FBI Buffalo's unwavering commitment to protecting Western New York communities," said Allen D. Davis II, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI's Buffalo Field Office. "Working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, FBI Buffalo removed guns, drugs, and violent criminals from Buffalo neighborhoods. Our work; however, is not over. As part of Operation Summer Heat, FBI Buffalo is surging resources across Western New York to identify, investigate, and hold accountable violent criminals who threaten the safety of our communities."

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Department of Homeland Security Emergency Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch. The indictments are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis II, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erika Shields, the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, New York Field Division, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the New York State Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello, the Erie County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard, the Hamburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Dienes, the U.S Probation Office, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Clifford Jackson, the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass, U.S Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police, under the direction of Chief Brian Patterson, and the Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Stephen Kaiser, Resident Agent-in-Charge, Buffalo Resident Office. Additional assistance was provided by the FBI Cleveland Field Office and the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office.

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.

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