(WNY News Now) – BUFFALO, N.Y. — A federal grand jury has indicted a 38-year-old Sloan man on multiple drug and weapons charges following a joint investigation by local and federal law enforcement agencies, federal prosecutors announced.
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo stated that Martino Carter has been charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of firearms and ammunition while subject to a domestic violence protective order.
According to the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint, the charges stem from a June 5, 2025, search of Carter’s residence on Jackson Avenue in Sloan. The search warrant was executed by the Buffalo Police Department, along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Investigators reported recovering two firearms, a magazine, and approximately 25 pounds of suspected marijuana from the residence. Carter was taken into custody at the scene.
Federal prosecutors noted that Carter has prior felony convictions. In May 2009, he was convicted of two felony offenses in Erie County Court, which legally prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition. Authorities also stated that Carter was subject to an active domestic violence order of protection at the time of his arrest, further barring him from firearm possession.
Carter was arraigned in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was ordered detained pending further proceedings.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, and a potential fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Acting Police Commissioner Craig Macy, and the ATF, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo.
As with all criminal cases, the indictment is an accusation only. Carter is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Leave a Reply