STAFF REPORTS




BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Deshon Nettles, 28, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing, 10 grams or more of butyryl fentanyl and fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.


Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch and Misha A. Coulson, who handled the case, stated that on March 1, 2018, during a traffic stop in Buffalo, the defendant was found in possession of a small amount of fentanyl and $5,257 in cash. On March 23, 2018, a Drug Enforcement Administration undercover officer contacted the defendant to purchase a quantity of fentanyl. Nettles agreed to sell the officer approximately 10 grams. Later that day, the undercover officer met the defendant in Buffalo and purchased the fentanyl. Nettles also sold fentanyl and butyryl fentanyl to the undercover officer on three other occasions.


In May 2018, the defendant gave his cell phone to co-defendant Yuminique Toney so that she could conduct drug sales on his behalf, while he was out of town. Toney subsequently sold fentanyl and crack cocaine to the undercover officer on two occasions in May 2018.


Co-defendants Yuminique Toney, Antonio Broadus, and Marquise White were all previously convicted. Defendants Broadus and Toney were sentenced to 30 months and eight months in prison respectively. Defendant White is awaiting sentencing.


The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.