BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Tasheka Stalling, 30, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distributing 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who is handling the case, stated that between November 2015 and Jan. 26, 2017, the defendant conspired with her husband, Jermaine Ellison to sell crack cocaine.
Between Nov. 12, 2015, and June 20, 2016, investigators conducted six controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Ellison. On Aug. 30, 2016, Ellison was ordered into state custody by a Niagara County Court Judge to begin serving a state sentence. While Ellison was being held in the Green Correctional Facility, Stalling conspired with him to continue selling crack cocaine to his customers in Niagara County. Stalling utilized Ellison’s cellphone contacts in order to communicate with buyers to distribute the crack cocaine. During their conspiracy, Stalling and Ellison discussed details related to the ongoing sales over recorded telephone calls from the correctional facility. Investigators made a total of 16 controlled purchases of crack cocaine from the defendant.
Jermaine Ellison was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff James R. Voutour; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Edward Kennedy; and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, under the direction of Chief George Gast.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 20, 2019, before Judge Arcara. #
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
