Rochester Man Indicted on Federal Drug Conspiracy Charges

Quentin L. Yancey, 38, also known as "Q," is accused of conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Rochester area between 2018 and May 2022.

A Rochester man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to a narcotics conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced Tuesday.

Quentin L. Yancey, 38, also known as "Q," is accused of conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Rochester area between 2018 and May 2022. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum potential sentence of life.

Federal prosecutors allege that Yancey worked with others, including Joseph S. Zaso, who has already been convicted and is awaiting sentencing. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Louis A. Testani.

Yancey was arraigned before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Roemer and remains in custody.

The indictment stems from an investigation conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Jamestown Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, a federal initiative aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations.

Authorities emphasize that an indictment is merely an allegation, and Yancey is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.