Skip to main content
Press Release

Buffalo Man Sentenced On Drug Charges

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE:  (716) 843-5817
FAX #:                 (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Melvin Tucker, 29, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, crack cocaine, was sentenced to 36 months by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
 
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the prosecution, stated that between the summer of 2012 and April 3, 2013, the defendant, along with several co-defendants, possessed and distributed crack cocaine. Specifically, as part of this conspiracy, a co-defendant maintained several locations on the grounds of the Perry Housing Projects in Buffalo. Tucker purchased crack cocaine from this co-defendant and then distributed the drug to his own customers. Tucker did not sell cocaine base to customers on the grounds of the Perry Housing Projects, rather to customers in other parts of Buffalo.

On April 3, 2013, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at 124 Fulton Street and 305 Perry Street during which they recovered over 300 grams of cocaine base and 700 grams of powered cocaine as well as a firearm.

Tucker was arrested in April 2013 along with 11 others. Defendants Nannette Brown, Brandon Atkins, Eric Ross, and Phayon Redmond have also been convicted. Charges are pending against Tyshawn Bradley, Dallas McLamore, Tashawn Gay, David Varner, Latifah Donaldson, and Tara Robinson. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Matthew Renneman, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda.

Updated April 30, 2015