By Ashley Hassett
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-955815.mp3
Buffalo, NY – A Buffalo man assisting with the Common Council's study of police reorganization was arrested early Thursday morning on cocaine trafficking charges.
Ricky Allen, senior is serving as interim chairman of the Common Council's joint commission to examine police reorganization.
Federal and state law enforcement uncovered cocaine, that they said he was intending to distribute.
Police also arrested members of the Afro Dogs motorcycle club in connection related charges. If convicted Allen along with the Afro-Dogs face federal drug charges.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda said police had no reason to be suspicious of Allen prior to his arrest.
"In my opinion he's a despicable human being, a dope dealer that masquerades as a community activist. However, not everybody was aware of that. I believe he did not have a record so you don't always know who your dealing with," said Derenda.
Armed with a search warrant, Allen was arrested at his home on Roosevelt Avenue. Allen now faces possible federal drug charges.
Derenda said police seized a number of guns, vehicles, currency and property used in the drug trafficking ring.
Mayor Brown said he is sending a message to the citizens of Buffalo. Mayor Byron Brown said corruption will not be tolerated in the city of Buffalo.
"As we have said many times in trying to send a message to drug dealers and other criminals in the city of buffalo. If you are committing crimes in the city of Buffalo.. the buffalo police and our law enforcement will find you, they will arrest you and they will put you in jail," said Mayor Brown.
"Narcotics trafficking can destroy a community," said U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Duszkiewicz, who is prosecuting the case, stated that the Indictment accuses Dewey Taylor, 40, John Smith, 52, Ricky Allen, 54, Terrance Hall, 37, Johnnie Gibson, 46, William Szymanski, 49, Emanuel E. Bell, 47, Jeffery Achatz. 44, Dale Lockwood, 58, Anthony Burley, 44, Frank Owens, 53 and Van Miller, 51 all of Buffalo. The 12 are charged in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute quantities of cocaine. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum term and a fine of $4,000,000, or both.
The 35 count indictment further charges Smith with maintaining premises on Northland Ave. and at the Afro Dogs Clubhouse for purposes of the use and purpose of manufacturing and distributing cocaine.
Smith and Allen are charged with maintaining a premises on Roosevelt Ave., again, for the use and purpose of manufacturing and distributing cocaine, which charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Smith is also charged in 17 counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, each of which is a felony and carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, or both, along with possession of firearms in relation to his drug-trafficking, which carries a mandatory five year consecutive sentence to any other term imposed. Taylor is charged with 10 counts of structuring financial transactions, each of which is a felony for which he can receive a maximum term of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both.