BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County Sheriff's Office and Buffalo Police Department announced Friday the arrest of a City of Buffalo employee.
50-year-old Bernard Brown, who works with the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works, was arraigned Friday morning in Buffalo City Court.
He is facing the following charges and is being held without bail:
- First-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
- Three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
- Two counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia
If convicted, Brown could face a maximum of 20 years in prison.
"This is a significant arrest. I believe him to be a top-tier drug dealer," DJ Granville, Chief of Narcotics and Intelligence Unit with the Erie County Sheriff's Office, said, "It was just one bad apple that we took off the street and he was flying under the radar but not anymore."
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Brown is currently suspended with pay, but could soon be suspended without pay.
Authorities say it took eight months to nail down what they call a ladder investigation.
"You start at the very bottom and you just work your way up through sources through surveillance through anonymous tips you name it we're out there doing it," Granville said.
Gramagalia added the amount of cocaine seized in this investigation will reduce violence because the drug trade will be slowed.
"At least for now he's off the street and as Sheriff Garcia mentioned the poison that he's been pedaling is off the street and our community is safer as a result," Michael Keane, First Deputy District Attorney with Erie County, said.
Sheriff John Garcia said there have been 371 confirmed or suspected overdose deaths just this year which is 20 percent higher than last year.
"And this is what it's all about — it's about us going after the people peddling this poison out on our streets," Garcia said.
The sheriff's office is also asking that people be on alert for 24-year-old Naim Tabb who is considered armed and dangerous.
Tabb is wanted for criminal possession of a narcotic drug in the first, second and third degree, criminal possession of a loaded weapon in the second degree and other narcotic-related charges.
"We hope to have him in custody and take him off the streets as well," Keane said.
