Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr. announces that 23 year-old Erik Arias and his 40 year old mother, Erika Brown of 114 15^th Street in the City of Buffalo pleaded guilty, as charged, before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to felony heroin possession and sale charges. 

On February 26, 2016, Buffalo police arrested the defendants after executing a search warrant on their home and recovering 970 baggies of heroin.  Erika Brown also pleaded guilty to two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3^rd Degree for two sales of heroin to an undercover officer. 

Both defendants are currently in custody at the Erie County Holding Center and are being held without bail while they await sentencing. 

Arias faces a potential prison term of up to 12 years.  Brown faces a maximum prison term of up to 27 years. 

Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing on June 15, 2016 at 9:30AM before County Court Judge Kenneth Case. 

Acting DA Flaherty commends the investigative work of Buffalo Police Narcotics Detectives John Garcia and Shawn Adams.

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney John P. Gerken, Jr., who is assigned to Acting DA Flaherty’s Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit.