Delmar Washington, 49, of Buffalo, New York, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced on May 15. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
The arrest follows an investigation by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office into a drug trafficking organization operating in Buffalo since November 2025. According to the complaint, law enforcement determined that Washington was involved in these activities. On March 30, investigators executed a search warrant at a Landon Street residence in Buffalo and seized approximately 475 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine and 676 grams of fentanyl. They also found drug paraphernalia and a shotgun reported stolen earlier. At the time of his arrest, authorities seized an additional 3.5 grams each of suspected crack cocaine and fentanyl from Washington.
Washington made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder Jr., where he was held pending a detention hearing scheduled for May 19.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan and resulted from efforts by the Drug Enforcement Administration under Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office under Sheriff John Garcia.
The Justice Department serves as the principal federal agency for law enforcement with more than 115,000 employees working across the United States and internationally; it focuses on upholding the rule of law while ensuring national safety and safeguarding civil rights according to its official website.
Officials remind that “the fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.”