Four Defendants Arrested In Drug Trafficking Ring That Stretched Across The United States

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging David Washington, a/k/a Dirty Dave, a/k/a Dirt, a/k/a Wavy Davey, 39, and Eleazar Martinez Medina, 50, with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, five kilograms or more of cocaine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life in prison.

In addition, David Burgin, 47, and Rodney Pierce, 32, were arrested and charged by complaint with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Defendant Burgin is also charged with maintaining a drug involved premises and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. If convicted, Rodney Pierce faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years; David Burgin faces a mandatory 10 years, and a maximum of life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura A. Higgins and Timothy C. Lynch, who are handling the case, stated that the defendants were involved in a drug trafficking ring that stretched from Buffalo to California and involved cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl being transported to the Buffalo, NY area for distribution and sale.

During the course of the investigation, search warrants were executed at 12 residences, during which investigators seized six firearms, ammunition, a quantity of marijuana, over 7 ½ kilos of suspected cocaine and crack cocaine, over 2 kilograms of fentanyl, over $750,000.00 in cash, six traps—many of which were hydraulically operated, scales, and drug packaging materials.

David Washington was arraigned and is being held pending a detention hearing on February 27, 2020. Eleazar Martinez Medina was arraigned in California and will be returned to the Western District of New York at a later date. Defendants David Burgin and Rodney Pierce made initial appearances and were released on conditions.  

The indictment and criminal complaint are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Tim Howard; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent-in-Charge; and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Unit, under the direction of Director Brian Manaher.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.