Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty To Drug And Gun Charges

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

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Anthony McCutcheon, 51, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 28 grams or more of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $5,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that between June 2013 and February 25, 2014, the defendant conspired with others to distribute crack cocaine in the Buffalo area. McCutcheon supplied cocaine to co-defendants Troy Cooley, Andre Owens, Morrell Buster, and William Jefferson. During the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s East Amherst Street residence, law enforcement officers recovered cocaine, crack cocaine, baggies and scales. Officers also recovered a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun.

McCutcheon was charged along with Cooley, Owens, Buster, Jefferson, Deandre Sparks, Markiel Hall, Alicia Maghett, and Carmella Rivera. All nine defendants have been convicted.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen, and the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Michel.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 26, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Skretny.