Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr. announces 27 year old Dellsean Hamilton and 27 year old Brittney Ridgeway, both of 16 Dash Street in Buffalo have pleaded guilty to drug charges before Erie County Court Judge Sheila DiTullio.

Hamilton pleaded guilty to 2 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree.  These are the highest charges for which he could be prosecuted. He did not receive a plea to a reduced charge.

Ridgeway pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree. She too was not offered a plea to a reduced charge.

On March 25, 2015,  the defendants were pulled over by Cheektowaga police after they observed Hamilton making a drug sale.  When searching Ridgeway, police found 141 envelopes containing the painkiller fentanyl hidden in her bra.  Hamilton admitted the fentanyl was his.

On July 10, 2015, Hamilton sold 25 packets of heroin to an undercover police officer and 24 more packets to the same undercover police officer four days later.

On July 15, 2015, search warrants were executed at Hamilton's residence at 16 Dash Street in Buffalo, and at 75 Edison Avenue in Buffalo where he stored his heroin.  At 16 Dash, the Narcotics Unit of the Sheriff's Office recovered more than $8,000 in cash and packaging materials for heroin.

At 75 Edison, the Sheriff's Office recovered 2,089 packages of heroin.  Hamilton admitted that the heroin at 75 Edison was his and that he is a drug dealer.

Sentencing for both defendants is set for May 3, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. before Judge DiTullio.

Hamilton faces a maximum of ten years in jail. Ridgeway faces a maximum one year sentence.

Acting DA Flaherty credits the Narcotics Unit of the Erie County Sheriff's Department, led by Chief Alan Rozansky, for its excellent investigation and prompt arrest of the defendants.

Assistant District Attorney Paul J. Williams prosecuted the case.