Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty To Brandishing A Firearm During A Drug Deal

DOJ Press

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

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Charlie Yancey, 29, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 7 years and a maximum of life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who is handling the case, stated that on July 28, 2019, Yancey met an individual in the parking lot of a convenience store on Main Street in Buffalo to purchase marijuana. Yancey got into the individual’s vehicle and attempted to pay for the marijuana with counterfeit money, which resulted in an argument. Yancey pulled out a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, with an obliterated serial number, and fired nine shots at the individual, causing non-life-threatening injuries. The firearm was later recovered by law enforcement and linked to spent shell casings recovered at the scene.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.


Sentencing is scheduled for August 5, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.

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