(WNY News Now) – A Buffalo man faces nearly 14 years in federal prison for his involvement in a narcotics conspiracy that culminated in a grisly triple homicide.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — James Reed, 42, known as “Fatts,” was sentenced to 166 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford for his role in a narcotics conspiracy that led to the violent deaths of three people, including a young mother and father, in 2019.
Reed was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, obstruction of justice, use of fire to commit a felony, and acting as an accessory after the fact. His sentencing follows a joint investigation by the FBI, Buffalo Police Department, and other agencies.
The case stems from a drug trafficking ring that operated from 973 Fillmore Avenue in Buffalo. Reed and his co-conspirators sold marijuana, heroin, and cocaine from the location, using it to store and package the substances.
In September 2019, Reed participated in a cocaine deal that turned deadly. He accompanied co-conspirator Jariel Cobb to purchase a kilogram of cocaine from suppliers Miguel Anthony Valentin-Colon and Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred. The deal took a dark turn when Deandre Wilson, another co-defendant, fatally shot Valentin-Colon and his wife, Nicole Merced-Plaud, in their vehicle while their young son sat in the back seat.
Inside a nearby residence, Wilson assaulted Roman-Audiffred, leaving her unconscious. Reed and Cobb then dismembered her body and attempted to dispose of the remains by burning them.
The following day, Cobb and Wilson set fire to the minivan containing the bodies of Valentin-Colon and Merced-Plaud in Buffalo, leaving their minor child unharmed on a stranger’s porch.
Co-defendants Cobb and Wilson received harsher sentences. Cobb is serving 20 years, and Wilson is serving three life terms for his actions, including the murders.
This case highlights the work of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a federal initiative aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Buffalo Police Department, Erie County Sheriff’s Office, and Erie County District Attorney’s Office, among others.
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