Niagara Falls man going to prison for gun conspiracy and filling fraudulent hydrocodone prescriptions

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Sean Reed, Jr., 38, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to illegally transport firearms and obtaining controlled substances through fraud, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.

Between September 2018 and May 2019, Reed conspired with others to transport at least 25 firearms to New York State that had been purchased in the State of Kentucky. Reed traveled to Kentucky, purchased the firearms from an individual living in Kentucky, and then transported the firearms back to New York. The firearms were purchased at various flea markets and pawn shops.

In addition, beginning in July 2021, Reed began receiving fraudulent prescriptions for hydrocodone from a secretary at a medical practice in Niagara Falls. The secretary had illegally accessed a doctor's e-prescribing token and used it to issue hydrocodone prescriptions for herself, Reed, and others. The doctor was unaware of the secretary's unlawful use of his e-prescribing token. Reed submitted the prescriptions to various pharmacies in the Niagara Falls area to obtain the hydrocodone pills. Reed received a total of 68 hydrocodone prescriptions, with each containing between 20 and 28 pills.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, New York Field Division, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.

# # # #