Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 36-year-old Charles Watkins of Buffalo has been sentenced by Erie County Court Judge Kenneth F. Case to a determinate sentence of 8 years in prison followed by 7 years of post-release supervision.

On four separate occasions during the spring of 2018, the defendant sold one ounce of cocaine to a DEA informant on Buffalo’s West Side. For each sale, the defendant received $1,100 in cash.

In November 2018, Watkins pleaded guilty to four counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, Class “A-2” felonies.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to an unrelated charge of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class “B” felony. In September 2017, police recovered over one ounce of cocaine, $25,000 in cash and drug paraphernalia from the defendant’s home on Baynes Street in the City of Buffalo. DNA evidence tied the defendant to the narcotics.

DA Flynn commends members of the DEA and Erie County Sheriff’s Office for their work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney James W. Mansour, II of the DA’s Narcotics Unit and Assistant District Attorney Sean B. Bunny of the DA’s Justice Courts.