A Sloan man pleaded guilty to possessing marijuana with intent to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Martino Carter, 39, entered the plea before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Federal authorities said Buffalo police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI searched Carter’s Jackson Avenue residence in Sloan on June 5, 2025.
Investigators seized two loaded pistols and about 25 pounds of suspected marijuana during the search, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Carter had been convicted of felony charges in Erie County Court in January 2010 and was legally prohibited from possessing firearms, according to prosecutors.
The Buffalo Police Department investigated under Police Commissioner Erika Shields. The ATF investigation was directed by Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, and the FBI’s work was directed by Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis II.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass is prosecuting the case.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2027, before Vilardo. The release did not identify the specific sentence prosecutors intend to seek.
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