Two Buffalo Men Arrested, Charged With Gun And Drug Charges

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Jay Neal, 37, and Quashawn Lawrence, 25, both of Buffalo, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 45 years, and a $5,000,000. In addition, defendant Neal is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. That charges carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas S. Duszkiewicz and Michael J. Adler, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 20, 2015, Neal sold a quantity of heroin. The following day, on October 21, 2015, Neal once again agreed to sell a quantity of heroin. The defendant left the meeting location and drove to the vicinity of Dodge St. and Michigan Ave. where a man later identified as defendant Lawrence exited a residence with a tan back pack and entered Neal’s vehicle.

Neal then drove to a residence at 87 Mariner St. in Buffalo. About an hour later, Neal and Lawrence were arrested by police. At the time of his arrest, Neal was armed with a 9mm handgun and had $10,000 in United States currency. Lawrence was in possession of a quantity of crack cocaine. A search warrant executed inside 87 Mariner recovered a gun inside Lawrence’s tan back pack, and another gun, ammunition and 10 grams of heroin inside a dresser drawer.
    
The defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder. They are due back in court on October 29, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. 

The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Timothy Howard.

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.