U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced that Alexis Javier Centeno-Baez, a 30-year-old resident of Buffalo, New York, has been sentenced to 120 months in prison. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara following Centeno-Baez's conviction for possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who managed the case, detailed Centeno-Baez's previous legal troubles. In March 2017, he was sentenced to 63 months in prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and attempted possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. This conviction followed a jury trial and included an additional four years of supervised release.

The recent charges stem from an incident on October 17, 2022, when a United States Probation Department officer conducted a random home visit at Centeno-Baez’s residence. During this visit, Centeno-Baez admitted that a brown paper bag in his kitchen contained heroin and confessed to drug trafficking activities. A subsequent search revealed quantities of fentanyl, tramadol tablets, methamphetamine, marijuana, digital scales, $46,550 in cash, and ammunition.

This sentencing is the result of an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration under Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino from the New York Field Division and the United States Probation Office directed by Chief Probation Officer Timothy C. Englerth.