BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A former Buffalo DEA agent, 61-year-old Joseph Bongiovanni of Tonwanda, who was convicted of multiple crimes, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, has been sentenced to five years in prison.
In October 2024, a jury delivered a verdict finding Bongiovanni guilty of the following:
- One count of conspiracy to defraud the United States
- One count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
- Four counts of obstruction of justice
- One count of false statement to law enforcement
WATCH: Former Buffalo DEA agent Joseph Bongiovanni sentenced to 5 years in prison in high-profile trial
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, between 1998 and 2019, Bongiovanni served as a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration and he used his position to defraud the DEA by protecting his friends, associates, and individuals he believed were members or associates of Italian Organized Crime in Buffalo, from investigation, arrest, and prosecution.
Investigators said Bongiovanni provided Michael Masecchia, a former Buffalo School teacher with connections to Italian Organized Crime, and others involved in the distribution of marijuana, cocaine, and fentanyl pills, by providing sensitive information about investigations, the identities of informants, and sensitive law enforcement techniques and tactics. Bongiovanni also opened a case file within the DEA that he used to ensure that other state and local law enforcement agencies, and federal agents, would defer the investigation of the individuals that he was protecting to him. In addition, Bongiovanni used the DEA case file to enter information about drug traffickers he was protecting into deconfliction databases to alert himself if any other members of law enforcement were investigating coconspirators he was protecting.
In addition, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Bongiovanni was convicted of obstruction of justice and making materially false statements to an agent of the United States after agents investigated his relationship with Peter Gerace Jr., who was under investigation by the DEA, and others for drug trafficking and related offenses.
“As a member of law enforcement, this defendant was in a position of trust in the eyes of the public. However, his criminal actions over the course of 10-plus years eroded that public trust and tarnished the reputation of the men and women in law enforcement who uphold justice with honesty and integrity every day.”
“Bongiovanni flagrantly betrayed his oath, and the trust placed in him by the American people. Instead of upholding the law, he became the very criminal he was sworn to pursue. Bongiovanni thought he was above the law, but today’s sentence proves otherwise. We are proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure those who abuse positions of power are held accountable.”
Investigators said Masecchia was previously convicted and sentenced to serve seven years in prison. Gerace was convicted by a federal jury and is awaiting sentencing.
