Perry Projects Kingpin Gets 30 Years for Crack, Murder

33-year-old Tyshawn Bradley, the ringleader of a violent crack cocaine empire rooted in Buffalo’s Perry Housing Projects, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison Friday. U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo handed down the sentence after Bradley was convicted of conspiracy to distribute over 280 grams of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of the public housing complex, money laundering, and possession of an unregistered sawed-off rifle.

Federal prosecutors Timothy C. Lynch and Michael J. Adler laid out a brutal operation: Bradley ran a daily narcotics distribution network from multiple apartments under the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority’s control. His crew flooded the Perry Projects with crack and powder cocaine—over 300 grams of crack and 700 grams of powder were seized during raids on April 3, 2013, at 124 Fulton Street and 305 Perry Street. Nine others were arrested alongside Bradley in a sweeping takedown across Buffalo and Cheektowaga.

The investigation uncovered more than just drugs. Between October 2011 and April 2013, Bradley funneled drug profits through co-defendant Nannette Brown to buy multiple homes in Buffalo, hiding his ownership to launder hundreds of thousands in illicit cash. Judge Vilardo emphasized that Bradley was not just a dealer but the head of an organized criminal enterprise, using shell purchases to cloak his empire’s footprint.

But the most damning findings came from the murder of Andre James on January 29, 2011. Court evidence showed Bradley shot one man multiple times before executing James with a barrage of gunfire. Shell casings and detective work by the Buffalo Police Department’s homicide unit tied Bradley directly to the scene. The FBI stepped in after this killing, launching the broader probe into Bradley’s drug ring.

On top of the murder, Vilardo cited aggravating factors: Bradley used a minor to further his drug operation, amassed a cache of illegal firearms, and threatened witnesses to obstruct justice. These enhancements sealed his 30-year fate, reflecting the court’s recognition of his role as a dangerous, calculating crime boss.

The case, led by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force under Special Agent in Charge Gary Loeffert and Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood, wraps up with all 10 defendants convicted. Bradley, the final one sentenced, now faces decades behind bars—his reign over the Perry Projects reduced to a criminal docket and a prison jumpsuit.