11 charged in Buffalo to Warren County Cocaine Network

HARRISBURG – Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, along with local police in Warren County and New York State, are in the process of arresting 11 suspects allegedly involved in cross-border cocaine trafficking in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Corbett said the 21 month long grand jury investigation, known as “Operation Stateline Crackdown,” focused on individuals who were allegedly using sources in Buffalo and Jamestown, New York, to obtain cocaine, which was repackaged into smaller quantities for redistribution and street-level sale in Warren County and surrounding communities.

“Drug traffickers do not care about local or state boundaries,” Corbett said. “Their only concern is finding an ample supply of drugs, along with a market where buyers are willing to pay a high price.”

Corbett said the grand jury investigation revealed a loosely knit network of dealers from Pennsylvania and New York State who allegedly used sources in the Buffalo area to obtain cocaine, which was then resold – at a much higher price – in and around Warren County.

“This is a common problem in many rural parts of Pennsylvania, where larger cities and more extensive drug supplies are a short drive away,” Corbett said. “We are committed to working with local police departments to attack drug sales on a community level, and also to use information from those cases to identify the drug traffickers and suppliers who are the ultimate sources for this illegal activity.”

Corbett noted that some of the individuals allegedly identified themselves using “GMC” or “Get Money Crew” tattoos, while others appeared to operate independently.  Evidence and testimony presented before the grand jury documented numerous sales involving bulk quantities of crack cocaine involving the defendants.

Corbett thanked the following agencies for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation:  The Warren County District Attorney’s Office; Warren County Sheriff’s Office; and the Warren County Drug Task Force, including the Warren City Police Department, Youngsville Borough Police Department, Conewango Township Police Department and Warren County Detective Bureau.

Corbett also thanked the Jamestown, New York, Police Department; Chautauqua County, New York, Sheriff’s Office; the Southern Tier (NY) Drug Task Force; Buffalo, New York Police Department, Intelligence Unit; U.S. Forestry Service Law Enforcement and Investigations Division for their cooperation and support with this investigation.

The defendants will be prosecuted in Warren County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Douglas J. Wright of the Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section.

The following is a list of the defendants and the charges filed against them:

Jose M. Caceres, Jr., 25, 159 Anderson St., Jamestown, NY, is charged with three counts each of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine and criminal use of a communications facility.

Darnell L. Cathcart, 25, last known address of 87 Johnson St., Buffalo, NY, is charged with one count each of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of cocaine.

Jacob Jackson, 26, last known address of 423 Rankin St., Warren, is charged with two counts each of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine and criminal use of a communication facility.

Lionell Jones, 24, 218 Newburg St., Buffalo, NY, is charged with three counts of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, three counts of possession of cocaine and one count of criminal conspiracy.

Amanda Rayborne, 22, 28 South St., Warren, is charged with two counts each of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine and criminal conspiracy.

Trevlus L. Robinson, 24, 211 Winslow Ave., Buffalo, NY, is charged with one count each of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine and criminal conspiracy.

Bobby Smith, 23, unknown address (Buffalo, NY/Jamestown, NY), is charged with two counts each of  possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of cocaine.

Joseph Traver, 23, unknown address (Jamestown, NY) is charged with two counts each of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communications facility.

David Tyes, 26, 151 Newburg St., Buffalo, NY, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, two counts of possession of cocaine and one count of criminal conspiracy.

Demetrius L. Tucker, 20, 418 Winslow Ave., Buffalo, NY, is charged with four counts each of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of cocaine.

Dontrell Wise, 24, 208 Hickory St., Buffalo, NY, is charged with two counts each of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of cocaine.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)