Nine Defendants Arrested In Raids On Townsend Street Residences

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

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a 34 count indictment charging nine defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 28 grams or more of cocaine base and marijuana, and maintaining a drug involved premises. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000 fine.
 
Named in the indictment are:

• John Sanders, Jr.;
• Lamario Mills, aka Rio;
• Charles Washington;
• Brandon Washington, aka Goldie;
• Jason Jackson, aka Piff;
• Carl Phillips, Jr., aka Bama;
• Duane Pitts;
• Vernon James; and
• Kacene Brathwaite

Some of the defendants face additional charges of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and butyryl fentanyl.
  
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremiah E. Lenihan and Joshua A. Violanti, who are handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between August 2018 and June 2019, the defendants conspired to sell cocaine and marijuana. The defendants used the residences at 67 Townsend and 76 Townsend Street in Buffalo to manufacture, store, and distribute the cocaine and marijuana.

Investigators executed search warrants at 57 Townsend Street, 67 Townsend Street, and 76 Townsend Street, and recovered quantities of cocaine and marijuana, and U.S. currency. A search warrant was also executed at Lamario Mills’s residence at the Delaware Park Apartments where a significant quantity of cocaine and marijuana was also recovered.

“These residences on Townsend Street had been the source of frequent citizen complaints,” noted U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “Today’s arrests show that those of us working in law enforcement at every level—federal, state, and local—are sensitive to the concerns of the citizens we serve. We endeavor each day to be responsive to our citizens and remain committed to working together to improve the quality of life across our community.”

The defendants were arraigned this afternoon before U.S Magistrate Jeremiah J. McCarthy and are being held pending detention hearings.
 
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Edward Kennedy; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn; and the Erie County Crime Analysis Center.

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.

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