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Kevin Riford
Delivering Evidence — and Triggering a Law Enforcement Response
In March 2019, I personally delivered an envelope addressed to Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz at the Rath Building in downtown Buffalo, NY. Like anyone entering a government facility, I walked through security, passed through the metal detectors, and placed my envelope in the x-ray scanner. Everything went smoothly and without incident.
I took the elevator to the County Executive’s office and handed the envelope to a woman named “Kelly” at the front desk. She accepted it without question. The envelope contained only printed documents — evidence regarding our sister Katie Riford’s case, and information we believed demonstrated corruption within Niagara County Family Court.
To be clear: no threats, no suspicious materials, and nothing illegal — just paper.
Media Spin and a Visit from the Sheriff
Shortly after that delivery, WGRZ News Channel 2 published an article describing the envelope as a “suspicious package.” The supposed concern? It had no return address.
Suddenly, what should have been a routine handoff of paperwork became a law enforcement matter.
The Erie County Sheriff’s Office showed up — not at my door, but at the home of my sister, Christina Riford Little, in the Town of Tonawanda. Deputies questioned her about the package, even though all it contained were court documents she had helped organize.
Why such a dramatic response over a simple envelope — just because it lacked a return address?
Was This a Misunderstanding — or Something More?
Let’s consider the facts:
- Government offices receive hundreds of envelopes and packages weekly, many without return addresses.
- The envelope in question went through x-ray screening and was hand-delivered to a receptionist.
- Its contents were entirely legal and non-threatening.
- Despite this, a media story was published, and law enforcement was deployed to question a private citizen.
So was the concern truly about the missing return address? Or was it the content of the documents — evidence pointing to family court corruption and official misconduct — that triggered the alarm?
My sister Christina later followed up with Buffalo FBI Special Agent Brian A. Burns by email, asking thoughtful questions about the incident. To this day, we’ve received no meaningful explanation.
