A federal grand jury has indicted seven individuals on serious drug trafficking charges for their alleged roles in a narcotics operation that moved cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl from Mexico through Texas and into New York, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced Wednesday.
The indictment, handed down in Buffalo, charges the defendants with conspiracy to possess and distribute large quantities of narcotics. The case, part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America, centers on an alleged cartel-linked network that spanned multiple states and international borders.
Those charged include Winnie Taru Woods, 50, of Buffalo; Sharron McCullough, 34, of Brooklyn; Marlon Holt, Jr., 51, of Buffalo; Norman Patillo, 44, of Houston; Gary Sudesh Gosine, Sr., 50, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago; Ian Dyer, 25, of Austin; and Shannell Gosine, 27, of Baytown, Texas. Woods, McCullough, and Holt face additional distribution charges tied to specific drug seizures.
Prosecutors allege that between April 2023 and February 2025, the group worked with Mexican cartels to obtain and transport bulk narcotics for distribution in Buffalo, New York City, and other areas. Woods and McCullough are accused of organizing bulk purchases from cartel suppliers, including Gosine, Sr. in Mexico, while other defendants helped move both drugs and cash across the country.
The investigation culminated in a major seizure on May 7, 2024, when Ontario County deputies stopped Holt returning from Texas. Authorities say they found nine kilograms of cocaine and 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in his vehicle.
Four of the defendants remain in custody, while three were released on conditions pending further court proceedings. All face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison, with possible life sentences and fines up to $10 million.
“This case falls within the parameters of Operation Take Back America,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “We’re targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations to protect our communities.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and law enforcement partners in New York, Texas, and Tennessee.
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