(WNY News Now) – BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a multi-state narcotics conspiracy involving the shipment and distribution of large quantities of cocaine across the Western District of New York.
Steven Hoskins, 44, of Buffalo, New York, entered a guilty plea before John L. Sinatra Jr to one count of narcotics conspiracy. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $10 million.
According to federal prosecutors, between December 2022 and November 2024, Hoskins conspired with others to coordinate the shipment of cocaine from California to Buffalo using both the U.S. mail system and vehicles equipped with concealed compartments transported across the country.
Authorities allege Hoskins received between five and 50 kilograms of cocaine per month, which he then distributed within the Western District of New York. Prosecutors further stated that on three separate occasions in July, August, and September 2023, Hoskins delivered drug proceeds totaling $439,840 to an individual he believed was part of the trafficking organization. The individual was, in fact, working with law enforcement.
The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, a coordinated federal effort aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organizations operating in the United States. Participating agencies in the investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Federal prosecutors with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York are handling the case. Officials said the prosecution team includes Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fitzsimmons, Meghan E. Leydecker, and Elizabeth M. Palma.
Sentencing for Hoskins is scheduled for August 21, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.
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