Homeland Security Task Force investigation results in convictions for 11 drug traffickers

Date: June 8, 2026

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Binghamton, NY - The final defendant in a multi-defendant Northern District of New York drug trafficking organization was sentenced last month in Utica, New York, by Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd. Demario Shell, previously of Michigan, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison to be followed by a term of 5 years of supervised release. The sentence stems from his convictions for federal drug trafficking and money laundering offenses.

The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation New York Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis Jr., Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo Acting Special Agent Charge Anthony Patrone, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James

A total of eleven defendants were charged and convicted for their roles in the organization that distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and other drugs primarily from 2019 to 2021 throughout the Southern Tier of New York including Broome, Tioga and Chemung Counties. Shell, along with other convicted Michigan based defendants Hawkins and Merritt, supplied drugs to re-distributors in Broome, Tioga and Chemung Counties including to convicted co-defendants David Wemmer, David Cobb, Brandon Vanorman and Shawn McCabe. Several of these re-distributors also provided drugs to other re-distributors convicted as part of this case including Phillip Acciarito, Alan Wheeler, Jennifer Patton and Eini Raupers.

"The successful conclusion of this case is a testament to the tireless work of the Homeland Security Task Force and our partners," said First Assistant United States Attorney John Sarcone. "With the sentencing of this final defendant, a dangerous drug trafficking group has been dismantled, those responsible held accountable, and our communities are safer as a result."

Members of the organization also unlawfully possessed firearms as felons or in furtherance of their drug trafficking. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement obtained over 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, various other drugs, over 65 firearms and proceeds of drug trafficking including currency and ATVs.

"Today's outcome reflects the unwavering commitment of our federal, state, and local partners to continue our work together towards safer communities. By bringing this group to justice, we've helped protect families across the Southern Tier of New York and closed the door on a drug network that caused real harm," said Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI New York.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone: "These traffickers pumped methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and guns into the Southern Tier, profiting from addiction and violence. This investigation demonstrates the Homeland Security Task Force's mission: dismantling complex, multi-state criminal networks from suppliers to street-level dealers and bringing them to justice. Working side-by-side with our federal, state, and local partners, HSI Syracuse remains firmly committed to driving criminal organizations out of our communities and protecting the homes, businesses, and futures of the people we serve."

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, "The final sentencing in this case is a true testament to the perseverance and aggressive strategy of law enforcement in stopping illegal drug trafficking at its source. This sends a strong message to all those trafficking drugs in New York that we will not tolerate these threats in our state. With our partners in law enforcement, we will remain in full force to combat the infiltration of illegal drugs into our communities and the dangers they impose."

Below is a list of all the other defendants convicted in the case and the sentences they received:

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP VGNET, Troop C and E), the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and the Tioga County District Attorney's Office, with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force (BCSIUTF), the Elmira Police Department, the Michigan Jackson Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET),Tioga County Sheriff's Office, the Owego Police Department and the Sayre Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Grabowski, with the assistance of the United States Attorney's Offices in the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the Western District of New York and the District of Nevada.

This operation 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service (IRS/ CID), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Customs and Border Protection/ Office of Border Patrol (CBP/ OBP), Customs and Border Protection/ Office of Field Operations (CBP/ OFO), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Department of State/Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.