Home » Press Releases » 2007 News Archive » BPD and Other Western New York Agencies Announce Major Drug Round-up

BPD and Other Western New York Agencies Announce Major Drug Round-up

U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn of the Western District of New York announced the unsealing today of an Indictment returned by a Federal Grand Jury on October 9, 2007, charging Monae Davis, age 33, Matthew F. Johnson, age 35, Corey J. Rivers, age 36, and Raheim Howell, age 33, all of Buffalo, New York, Jennifer M. Gourley, age 29, Andrea Perkins, age 30, Richard Farnham, Sr., age 49, John A. Lee, age 36, Mark L. Burdick, age 38, David J. Thompson, age 26, Leroy W. Nupp, Jr., age 36, Mark W. Decker, age 37, and Anna M. Benjamin, age 20, all of Salamanca, New York, and Kevin L. Glowacki, age 30, both of Great Valley, New York, Beth L. Saifakas, age 42, of Killbuck, New York, and Jimi Lin Gourley, age 26, and Ryan V. Potter, age 27, both of Bradford Pennsylvania with conspiracy with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine and cocaine base. The charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment, up to life, and a fine of $4,000,000. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned today at 2:00pm before Honorable Hugh B. Scott, U.S. Magistrate Judge.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Duszkiewicz, who handled the investigation, indicated the the defendants are all charged with selling significant quantities of crack cocaine throughout the Salamanca, New York and Bradford, Pennsylvania areas from June 2005 up until October 2007. Defendants Monae Davis, Matthew F. Johnson and Raheim Howell face enhanced penalties, including a mandatory minimum 20 years term of imprisonment, up to life, based on their prior drug felony convictions. An allegation seeking forfeiture in the amount of $100,000 is also alleged as to defendants Monae Davis, Matthew F. Johnson and Corey J. Rivers based on the proceeds they received from their distributions. The investigation involved multi-agency cooperation and resulted in a wiretap warrant issued in Cattaraugus County at the request of Cattaraugus County District Attorney Edward M. Sharkey.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge, Nancy Coté, with the assistance of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force under the direction of New York State Police Senior Investigator Walter Mackney, the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Laurie Bennett, the Buffalo Police Department under the direction of Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson, and the Pennsylvania State Police Department.

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.