James Walker, a 71-year-old resident of Huntsville, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison for his involvement in a cocaine distribution conspiracy, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo on May 7. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Walker was convicted of conspiring with Adrian Goudelock, Eric Young, and others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine between February and July 25, 2018. Prosecutors said Walker owned a commercial tractor-trailer that had a hidden compartment designed for concealing large amounts of cocaine or cash. He hired Young as the driver and instructed him on how to use the compartment and coordinate deliveries with other conspirators.
According to court documents, Walker directed Young via encrypted messaging applications in June 2018 to deliver multiple shipments of cocaine—each weighing about 20 kilograms—to Cleveland, Buffalo, and New York City. Law enforcement observed exchanges involving duffle bags containing both drugs and cash at various locations including Buffalo and West Seneca. On July 25, officers found $145,380 hidden inside the tractor cab's sleeper area; altogether they seized $664,960 from Walker’s vehicle.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is described as "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." According to officials: "Through historic interagency collaboration...the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying...and prosecuting...these organizations." The task force also places special emphasis on crimes involving children.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York prosecutes federal criminal violations such as this case while handling civil cases for the government and collecting federal debts; it operates offices in Buffalo at 138 Delaware Avenue as well as Rochester at 100 State Street with approximately 120 staff members covering seventeen counties across western New York according to the official website.
