Three Drug Dealers Taken Off the Streets

Modified: October 16, 2015 9:37am

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8/17/2015

Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III announces the following drug dealers have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

32 year-old Brian Gerena of 1250 West Ave. in the City of Buffalo pleaded guilty as charged to two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, and one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio.  These are the highest charges for which Gerena could have been convicted of had he gone to trial.  In other words, the defendant was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 

On October 24, 2014 and November 10, 2014, Gerena sold multiple bags of heroin to an undercover Buffalo police officer in the City of Buffalo. On December 2, 2014, DEA Task Force in conjunction with the Buffalo Police Department, executed a search warrant at Gerena’s residence. During the search, officers recovered over a a significant amount of heroin, a scale with drug residue, and drug packaging material.

No stranger to the criminal justice system, Gerena was previously convicted in 2011 of selling narcotics in Wyoming County. Gerena can also boast of his two previous weapon’s possession convictions, including one for Criminal Use of a Firearm. Gerena faces up to 45 years in state prison is when he is sentenced by Judge DiTullio on October 6, 2015.

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brian D. Langenfeld of DA Sedita’s Felony Trial Bureau. 

33 year-old Michael Stubbs of 329 Hampshire Street in the City of Buffalo pleaded guilty as charged, to two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree before State Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns.  These were the highest charges for which the defendant could have been convicted. In other words, Stubbs was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The conviction stems from Stubbs selling cocaine to an undercover Buffalo Police Detective two times in June of 2014. Shockingly, Stubbs committed these crimes while he was serving a sentence of parole for a federal drug trafficking charge. To make matters worse, the case was not brought to the attention of the District Attorney’s Office until September 18, 2014 (the defendant was promptly indicted by September 25, 2014). It is estimated that Stubbs made between 1350 and 1800 additional narcotics sales before his crimes were brought to the attention of the District Attorney’s Office.

Justice Burns sentenced Stubbs to 8 years in state prison.  He is scheduled to appear in federal court on his parole violation on Friday, August 21, 2015 and faces an additional two years if the federal judge finds him in violation of his parole conditions. 

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney John P. Gerken, Jr., who is assigned to DA Sedita’s Tactical Prosecution Unit. 

37 year-old Ryanton Pabon of 277 Bird Avenue in the City of Buffalo pleaded guilty, as charged, to one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree before State Supreme Court Justice Penny M. Wolfgang.  This was the highest charge for which the defendant could have been convicted. In other words, Pabon was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

As part of their investigation into heroin trafficking occurring on Buffalo’s West Side, Erie County Sheriff’s Office Detectives executed a search warrant at Pabon’s residence and found a large amount of heroin hidden in the wall behind the kitchen cabinets. The detectives also recovered drug dealing paraphernalia and $19,000 in US currency from Pabon’s apartment. Shockingly, Pabon was also on parole at the time of his crimes.

Pabon faces a maximum of 17 years behind bars when he is sentenced before Judge Wolfgang on September 21, 2015 at 9:30AM.  However, Justice Wolfgang advised that she would sentence him to only 8 years in prison, the minimum sentence mandated by law.

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney John P. Gerken, Jr., who is assigned to DA Sedita’s Tactical Prosecution Unit.