A Buffalo man, Mario Pittman Jr., 32, has been sentenced to 114 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara delivered the sentence following Pittman's conviction, as announced by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo.
The investigation into Pittman's drug trafficking began in March 2024, led by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Lackawanna Police. It involved several controlled purchases of methamphetamine. On April 30, 2024, Pittman fled from investigators in his vehicle, leading to a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood before law enforcement made a forced stop.
Pittman attempted to flee on foot after his vehicle was stopped but was apprehended. Investigators recovered a clear plastic baggy of suspected methamphetamine that he dropped during his escape attempt. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola prosecuted the case, which was a collaborative effort by the FBI, Lackawanna Police Department, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office.