Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution

Steven Paschell, 48, of Buffalo, NY, is headed for prison after pleading guilty to distributing butyryl fentanyl — a potent synthetic opioid — in a series of undercover deals with a DEA informant. The plea, entered before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, seals Paschell’s fate in a case that underscores the deadly grip of the opioid crisis on Western New York.

Between November 1, 2016, and December 12, 2016, Paschell sold fentanyl to a confidential source on three separate occasions, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who is prosecuting the case. Each transaction involved measured quantities of the drug, packaged and sold like street narcotics with the precision of a seasoned dealer. Butyryl fentanyl, a dangerous analog of fentanyl, is known to be exponentially more potent than heroin and has been tied to numerous overdose deaths.

When federal agents moved in, they executed a search warrant at Paschell’s residence on Carmel Road in Buffalo. Inside, they found a glassine envelope containing a powder later confirmed to be butyryl fentanyl. Also seized: a digital scale, empty bottles of cutting agents, ripped plastic bags, a metal spoon scorched from use, and dozens of additional glassine envelopes stamped with the street brand ‘Mojo.’ The evidence painted the picture of a small-scale but active drug operation.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division. The agency has intensified efforts in recent years to dismantle fentanyl supply chains feeding into cities like Buffalo, where overdose rates have surged. Paschell’s case is one of dozens targeted in a broader crackdown on synthetic opioid traffickers.

Paschell now faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison and a $2,000,000 fine. No plea deal details were disclosed, and prosecutors emphasized the severity of distributing a substance directly linked to fatal overdoses. Federal sentencing guidelines for fentanyl-related offenses remain unforgiving, especially in cases involving repeat transactions.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Richard J. Arcara. Paschell remains in custody pending that date. The case serves as a grim reminder: in the opioid epidemic, dealers are not just criminals — they’re often accomplices to death.

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