Mark Falzone

Mark Falzone, 46, of North Buffalo, who called himself Serio’s friend, testified last week that he was struggling financially when he became involved in Serio’s drug-trafficking organization. “I was complaining about my house being in foreclosure and he said he could help if I helped unload packages,” Falzone said. Falzone helped unload three shipments of marijuana for $500 a load. He unloaded at his home 100 pounds of marijuana that came in packages hidden in wood pellets. He unloaded another 100 pounds hidden in mulch delivered to Serio’s warehouse at Sycamore Street and Michigan Avenue. The third shipment was unloaded at Serio’s mansion, also hidden in mulch, Falzone said. He spread the mulch around Serio’s yard. Many of the loads arrived in U-Hall trucks, but Serio said four loads came in tractor-trailers. Then came Serio’s arrest in April 2017. Falzone said he met shortly afterward with Masecchia, who was surprised by the arrest. “I talked to my guy, and Ron wasn’t on any radars,” Falzone said Masecchia told him. There was a reason for that: The Erie County Sheriff’s Office and FBI made the arrest, without informing the DEA. So Bongiovanni knew nothing of it, officials said.