A Niagara Falls man, one of seven people charged in a 130-count indictment accusing them of running a large-scale fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking ring in Western New York, has pleaded guilty in a plea deal with state prosecutors.
Kenneth Pringle pleaded guilty to a single count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. As part of his deal, he admitted to selling cocaine.
He has now been sentenced to seven years in state prison, followed by three years of post-release supervision.
Pringle was caught up in an investigation led by the Office of the New York Attorney General’s (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), along with Falls Police Department Narcotics & Investigations Division (NID) detectives and agents from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The investigation led to the seizure of nearly a kilogram of cocaine, over half a pound of methamphetamine and over one ounce of fentanyl, valued at more than $33,000, along with more than $4,000 in cash.
“Drug traffickers who flood our communities with deadly fentanyl and opioids threaten the safety of all New Yorkers,” State Attorney General Letitia James said. “I thank my partners in law enforcement for their commitment to safeguarding our streets and protecting New Yorkers from dangerous illegal drugs.”
Also pleading guilty in deals with James’ prosecutors were Dion Anderson, 44, Ronnie Dupree, 47, Antwain Jackson, 48, David Vaughn, 26, all of Buffalo and Devan Huntington, 30, and Sabrina Leeper, 50, both of Jamestown.
An indictment charged Pringle and his six co-defendants with multiple counts of criminal sale and criminal possession of controlled substances. The defendants were also charged with second-degree conspiracy.
Investigators said Dupree was the “central figure in the trafficking network.” Dupree was accused of “purchasing large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from Pringle, Anderson, Jackson, and others.”
Dupree and Jackson would reportedly travel from the Falls and Buffalo to Jamestown to meet customers and make sales. Anderson reportedly sold cocaine out of his home in Buffalo and provided cocaine to Vaughn and others.
A search warrant, executed at Anderson’s home in November 2024, led to the recovery of over half a pound of cocaine, a scale with cocaine residue, and more than $4,000.
Local law enforcement sources said the investigation included court-authorized wiretaps that captured conversations between the defendants. Detectives said Pringle and the others frequently utilized coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their activities.
For example, cocaine was referred to as “soft,” “hard,” or “girl,” while fentanyl was described as “food” or “boy,” and methamphetamine was called “cream.”