More Charges Filed in Case Involving Drug Organization Operating in Perry Housing Projects

    BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury in Buffalo has returned a superseding indictment charging one of 12 defendants with additional charges. Tyshawn Bradley, 28, of Cheektowaga, N.Y., has been charged with possession of a short barreled rifle, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The additional charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, a $500,000 fine or both.

Bradley was arrested in April 2013, along with 11 other defendants, for allegedly operating a cocaine base distribution network in the Perry Projects in Buffalo. Also charged: Nannette Brown, 45, Darnell Brown, a/k/a D, 29, Dallas McLamore, a/k/a Ice, a/k/a Dal, 29, Eric Ross, 24, Brandon Atkins, a/k/a YB, 26, Tashawn Gay, 23, Melvin Tucker, a/k/a Hoff, 24, David Varner, 55, Latifah Donaldson, a/k/a LaLa, 22, Tara Robinson, a/k/a Coek, 24 and Phayon Redmond, a/k/a Booper, 28.

Defendants Nannette Brown and Eric Ross have been convicted and are awaiting sentencing. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the Perry Projects case, stated that the investigation focused on the drug trafficking activities of Tyshawn Bradley, Darnell Brown, Dallas McLamore and their associates. According to the indictment, Bradley, Brown, McLamore and Eric Ross operated a cocaine base and cocaine distribution organization on a daily basis out of several apartments within the Perry Housing Projects, including apartments within the high-rise towers located at 124 Fulton Street and 305 Perry Street. The organization also utilized a person under the age of 18 to distribute cocaine base to customers on the grounds of the public housing facility.

The superseding indictment 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.

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.