3 face drug charges, 1 Rochester woman sentenced

Rochester, New York – According to the District Attorney’s office, two out-of-state men and one Rochester woman were arrested in separate drug incidents involving cocaine.

Prosecutors charged the two men with possession with intent to distribute almost 1.5 pounds of cocaine and charged one woman — a previous convict — with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and a violation of supervised release.

According to New York State Police, on August 2, Michael Almonte Diaz, 28, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Lowinsky Cuevas Acosta, 26, of Lynn, Massachusetts were stopped while driving eastbound on Interstate 90.

As the trooper approached the vehicle — driven by Diaz — a strong marijuana odor could be smelled, officials say. This prompted a search of the vehicle, which revealed approximately $18,000 in cash and a gift-wrapped package containing 645 grams (approx. 1.42 pounds) of cocaine. Diaz and Acosta face between five and 40 years in prison, as well as a maximum fine of $5 million. The two made an initial court appearance Thursday morning and were detained.

No further court dates have been set yet.

In January 2021, Charity Lee, 40 was convicted on federal charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm. On March 8, 2021, during a routine visit to her Ernst Street Residence, Lee was found to have 15.5 grams of crack cocaine base, a razor blade, other drug packaging materials, and multiple rounds of ammunition.

She has been sentenced to serve 39 months in prison for the March incident.