ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal jury has convicted Devaughn Salazar, a/k/a “Snake,” 41, of Elmira, NY, of knowingly possessing with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Eldridge and Charles Moynihan, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that on October 21, 2012, members of the Elmira Police Department recovered a Taurus .40 caliber pistol during a robbery investigation. Further investigation revealed that, in June of 2012, the owner of the handgun reported it stolen to the Addison Police Department. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives followed up and determined that the defendant acquired the handgun from Kevin Krowiak, the person who stole it, by trading cocaine for the gun. After acquiring the gun but prior to its recovery by the Elmira Police Department, defendant sold the gun to a third person.
The defendant, having been previously convicted on May 6, 2009, in Steuben County Court of a felony offense, was legally prohibited from possessing any firearm. The trial verdict is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge, Ashan Benedict; as well as members of the Elmira Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Kane.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 27, 2018, at 9:15 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa, who presided over the trial of the case.
