Niagara Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Conviction After FBI Raids

A Niagara Falls man has been sentenced to nearly nine years in federal prison following his conviction in a federal drugs and weapons case that stemmed from a major investigation and coordinated raids last year.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Richard Arcara handed down a sentence of 106 months to Jermaine McQueen, 47, for his guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

McQueen, who entered his plea in March, faced a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. His conviction also carried a potential fine of up to $5 million.

Another man involved in the case, Edward Rollie, 49, also from Niagara Falls, has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Rollie is awaiting sentencing and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison with a maximum possible sentence of life.

The charges followed a series of coordinated raids conducted in August 2024. The operations, led by the FBI Buffalo Field Office and Niagara Falls Police Narcotics & Intelligence Division, targeted at least eight properties across the city, including residences and a commercial property.

Investigators recovered approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl, over a kilogram of cocaine, three firearms, and $25,000 in cash during the raids.

Federal officials have described McQueen, Rollie, and their associates as members of “a drug trafficking ring operating in the Falls.”

Two other suspects, Paul Fields, 39, and Rashawn Salmon, 39, both from Niagara Falls, still face pending charges. Fields has been charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, while Salmon is accused of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

An affidavit filed by an FBI special agent embedded with Niagara Falls Police as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) stated that the charges stem from a broader effort targeting “drug trafficking and violent gang activity” in the city. The agent identified McQueen, Rollie, Fields, and Salmon as “individual(s) engaged in narcotics trafficking.”

Authorities executed three search warrants related to McQueen at 615 Chestnut Avenue, Apt. 2, 1817 North Avenue, and 30-F Packard Court. Across these locations, they seized 405 grams of cocaine, around 300 grams of fentanyl, six grams of crack cocaine, drug packaging materials, and $10,625 in cash.

At the North Avenue property, officers reported finding $10,000 in cash while a Cobra 9mm semi-automatic handgun was recovered from the Packard Court address.

As part of the investigation, law enforcement officials said they also conducted controlled drug buys involving fentanyl and cocaine from McQueen.

Niagara Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Conviction After FBI Raids