Jamestown man pleads guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy and drug conspiracy charges

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kelvin Thomas, 43, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of life.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that between October and December 2022, Thomas conspired with Zaid Mendoza and Cora Waddington to conduct a sex trafficking operation involving two individuals with drug addictions, Victim 1 and Victim 2. As part of the conspiracy, Thomas, Mendoza, and Waddington, provided shelter to the victims at a W. Main Street residence in Falconer, NY, and provided them with food, clothing, and daily quantities of heroin/fentanyl in exchange for their performance of commercial sex acts for money, with the proceeds going to Mendoza. Thomas assisted the operation by securing and communicating with commercial sex buyers, posting online advertisements with photographs of Victim 1 and Victim 2 on Skipthegames.com, transporting Victim 1 and Victim 2 to "out calls" away from the residence, and providing protection and assistance to sex trafficking victims while they were on out calls. In exchange for his assistance, Thomas was paid in drugs by Mendoza or Waddington.

Thomas's involvement in the sex trafficking conspiracy also involved him in Mendoza and Waddington's drug trafficking operation. He distributed heroin/fentanyl and methamphetamine for Mendoza and Waddington, in addition to using the drugs himself. Between August 30 and October 30, 2023, investigators conducted three controlled purchases fentanyl and methamphetamine from Thomas. On November 1, 2023, a search warrant was executed at a Newland Avenue residence associated with Thomas, during which quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine HCL were seized.

Mendoza and Waddington were previously convicted.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Acting Chief Scott Forster, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 22, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.

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