Wayne McDaniels, 42, of Rochester, New York, has been sentenced to 144 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. McGrath, the charges stem from a November 2022 search warrant executed at McDaniels’ apartment on Maria Street. During the search, law enforcement officers found over 400 individually packaged bags of fentanyl, large quantities of bulk fentanyl and cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and two loaded firearms.
Authorities indicated that this search was part of an ongoing investigation into a network of drug dealers distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine from multiple locations in the area over several years. McDaniels was identified as a leader within this group. The investigation also revealed that one location connected to the group—a residence on Jay Street—was where McDaniels’ six-month-old nephew died from a fentanyl overdose on August 1, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced the sentencing and acknowledged the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Rochester Police Department, Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, and the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (GRANET) in bringing the case forward.
