BUFFALO — Five individuals were arrested following a year-long narcotics investigation conducted by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with multiple law enforcement agencies.
Erie County Sheriff John C. Garcia announced the arrests of Ryan Matos-Santana, 30, Kaylyn Rodriguez, 22, Lisander Pizarro, 37, and Michael Pizarro-Badillo, 39, all of Buffalo, and Michael Rivera, 42, of Amherst.
On Feb. 28, sheriff’s special operations personnel executed a search warrant at 208 Niagara Street in Buffalo, where they found Matos-Santana and Rodriguez with a one-year-old child.
Deputies recovered loaded handguns with illegal “switches” that convert firearms to fully automatic, a kilogram of suspected cocaine, and multiple loaded magazines.
The child was placed with a responsible third party and Child Protective Services was notified.
A second warrant executed the same day at 697 Norfolk Street in Buffalo led to the discovery of another kilogram of suspected cocaine, a handgun with a “switch,” U.S. currency, scales, cutting agents, and what officials described as a “switch workshop” for illegal gun modifications.
On March 4, authorities executed an additional search warrant at 293 Amherst Street in Buffalo, where they recovered two loaded handguns, over 8 ounces of cocaine, over 8 ounces of fentanyl, and a large amount of marijuana.
As of March 7 at 3 p.m., Matos-Santana, Pizarro, Pizarro-Badillo and Rivera remained in custody at the Erie County Correctional Facility, while Rodriguez was released under supervision.
