Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announces that 24 year-old Wilkins Rivera of 397 Niagara St, Buffalo pleaded guilty to six counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree before Acting Supreme Court Justice John L. Michalski.  These are the highest charges for which Rivera could have been convicted of had he gone to trial.  In other words, the defendant was not offered a so-called “plea bargain” and was instead prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

On December 12, 2013 Rivera sold heroin to an undercover police officer at the Motel 6 parking lot on Camp Road in the Town of Hamburg. On December 16, 2013 Rivera sold heroin to undercover police officer at the Home Depot parking lot on Milestrip Road in the Town of Hamburg. On January 20, 2014, January 27, 2014, January 28, 2014 and March 4, 2014, Rivera sold heroin to undercover police officers at Galleria Mall parking lot in Cheektowaga, NY. It is estimated that Rivera made at least 750 more heroin sales between the time these transactions occurred and the time these transactions were brought to the attention of prosecutors.   

Rivera faces a maximum of 50 years in state prison when he is sentenced on September 22, 2014 by Justice Michalski.

Rivera was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brian Langenfeld, who is assigned to DA Sedita’s Felony Trial Bureau.