GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WKBW) — Anson Whitted, 42, is behind bars at the Erie County Holding Center on drug and weapons charges following an extensive investigation.
Whitted has been a target of the Erie County Sheriff’s Narcotics and Intelligence Unit since 2021. Last month the unit reopened its investigation when Whitted was identified as trafficking narcotics from his home on Carl Road on Grand Island.
Deputies pulled Whitted over on the 190, he and his two-year-old child were being driven by a woman, he was then taken into custody.
Big bust by @ECSONY1 from this weekend on Grand Island:
— Taylor Epps (@taylor_epps_) July 17, 2023
-AK 47 and AR 15 stolen out of Ohio
- 3 handguns, all loaded
- One gun had a switch making it automatic
-1/2 kilogram of cocaine/crack combination
-50 g of fentanyl
-$5,000 in cash@WKBW pic.twitter.com/0I9R90Hj5v
Meanwhile, deputies were searching his home and found:
- An AK-47 and an AR-15
- A .40 caliber Glock handgun modified with a “switch”, a 9mm and .45 caliber handgun, all the weapons recovered at the residence were loaded
- Large cache of high-capacity magazines and ammunition
- ½ kilo of crack cocaine
- 50 grams of fentanyl
- $5,000 in cash
"We need the New York State legislature to step up and come up with a penal law code that will make fentanyl illegal and all the other analogs. And for those that are serving this poison up, I think you're killing people, I think it's murder," said Sheriff John Garcia.
Whitted was arrested and charged with 19 felony and misdemeanor counts, facing 15 years to life if convicted.
The child and the woman were released.
Sheriff Garcia says the fight continues to get drugs off the streets of WNY.
