Depew man pleads guilty to selling fentanyl that led to the deaths of two individuals

BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jonathan DiPirro, 33, of Depew, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra to distribution of acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl causing death, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $1,000,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that on Nov. 1, 2019, DiPirro sold controlled substances to an individual identified as J.L. During the morning hours of Nov. 2, 2019, emergency personnel arrived at J.L.’s residence and determined J.L. was deceased.  An autopsy by the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be acute mixed drug intoxication, to include acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl, and cocaine. On March 4, 2020, at approximately 3:00 p.m., DiPirro sold controlled substances to an individual identified as S.L. At approximately 4:53 p.m., emergency personnel arrived at S.L.’s residence and determined S.L. to be deceased. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be acute mixed drug intoxication, to include acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl. 

In addition, between approximately Oct. 2019, and March 24, 2020, DiPirro conspired with his co-defendant, Sarah Szymanski, and others, to sell acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl. In February 2020, investigators conducted four controlled purchases of controlled substances from DiPirro. Sarah Szymanski was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Gummo; the Depew Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jerome Miller; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould; the New York State Police Violent Gang Narcotics Enforcement Team, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino, III, New York Field Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 26, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Sinatra. 

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