BUFFALO — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Kevin Brown, 30, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. In addition, Reno Sayles, Jr., 32, and Marlon Worthy, 34 of both of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremiah E. Lenihan and Timothy C. Lynch, who are handling the case, stated that on August 22, 2019, investigators conducting surveillance observed Sayles, Brown and Worthy leaving a residence on Wanda Avenue in Cheektowaga, NY, and getting into two separate vehicles. Both vehicles drove away and stopped shortly after, at which time defendant Brown retrieved a backpack from inside one of the vehicles. Law enforcement seized the backpack and upon searching it, discovered that it contained two loaded handguns, ammunition, magazines, scales, and a bulletproof vest. Officers recovered over 50 grams of cocaine from inside Worthy’s vehicle and another 10 grams inside his pocket. During a search of the Wanda Street residence, investigators also recovered narcotics paraphernalia. 

The pleas are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould; and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia with the assistance of their narcotics K-9. 

Worthy, Brown and Sayles are scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2022, May 6, 2022, and June 2, 2022, respectively, all before Judge Sinatra.