Buffalo man convicted for sale of fentanyl resulting in death

A federal jury has issued the first conviction in Western New York regarding the sale of fentanyl that resulted in death.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 32-year-old Dontrell Wise, of Buffalo, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, butyryl fentanyl, fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine; possession with intent to distribute butyryl fentanyl; and distribution of fentanyl causing death.

Based on Wise’s criminal history, the “death results” charge carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

Prosecutors say that Wise distributed fentanyl in November 2017, which caused the death of a 28-year-old woman in Cheektowaga.

Investigators say Wise was pulled over during a traffic stop by Buffalo Police in November 2017 and was found in possession of over $8,000 in cash, while a co-conspirator had a quantity of butyryl fentanyl.

It was discovered by investigators that Wise was a central member of a larger conspiracy crossing state lines, involving the distribution of narcotics in both Buffalo and Bradford, Pennsylvania.

Wise is set to be sentenced on February 14, 2019.

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