BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced Thursday that a federal jury convicted a Buffalo man of multiple charges for his role in a 2019 triple homicide.
After the six-week-long jury trial, the defendant, Deandre Wilson, was found guilty of the following charges:
- narcotics conspiracy
- Hobbs Act robbery
- murder while engaged in a narcotics conspiracy
- discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking crimes
- two counts of discharge of a firearm causing death in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking crimes
- conspiracy to obstruct justice
- two counts of obstruction of justice
- conspiracy to use fire to commit a felony
- conspiracy to damage and destroy a vehicle used in interstate commerce by fire
- damaging and destroying a vehicle used in interstate commerce by fire
- possession with intent to distribute marijuana
The victims were married couple Miguel Anthony Valentin-Colon and Nicole Marie Merced-Plaud, and their friend, Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred.
The trio had traveled to Buffalo from Florida in a minivan along with Valentin-Colon and Merced-Plaud's 3-year-old son. They had intentions of selling a kilogram of cocaine to Wilson, who had arranged the sale to take place at a home on Roebling Avenue in Buffalo.
According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Wilson, along with co-conspirators Jariel Cobb and James Reed murdered, then burned the remains
of the trio, before leaving Valentin-Colon and Merced-Plaud's 3-year-old son on the porch of a Potomac Avenue home.
At the time of the murders, Wilson was just recently released from prison after serving a term for murder in the second degree.
Wilson will face a maximum sentence of life in prison during his sentencing on March 23, 2023, at 2 p.m.
Co-conspirators Cobb and Reed were both previously convicted and will also face a maximum sentence of life in prison when convicted.
