(WNY News Now) – A former post office manager in Rochester faces a 72-month prison sentence after using his position to intercept and sell drugs, with a cache of firearms found at his residence.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Ralph Minni, 55, a former Greece Post Office station manager, has been sentenced to six years in prison following convictions for drug distribution and illegal firearm possession. U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced that Minni misused his managerial role to intercept and reroute drug-laden parcels from the mail stream directly into his office, storing and distributing narcotics from his home.

Between May 2018 and May 2022, Minni intercepted packages containing drugs, such as marijuana, rerouting them to his private office, where he removed and disposed of the packaging, later returning empty parcels to the mail. Prosecutors stated that Minni transported the drugs, including marijuana and cocaine, to his home, where he stored and distributed them. On three recorded occasions, Minni provided cocaine to a colleague, who allegedly used the drug in Minni’s office.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Minni’s residence on May 2, 2022, uncovering approximately 700 grams of cocaine, quantities of marijuana, 40 firearms, and over 19,000 rounds of ammunition. Minni was arrested on the same day outside the Greece Post Office, with marijuana in his vehicle allegedly taken from a package that day.

The case’s successful prosecution involved multiple federal and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Additional assistance was provided by local law enforcement, including the Greece Police Department and the New York State Police.