Archie Butler, Cocaine Possession, New York 2020

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Two defendants have been arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine following a sting operation at the Aloft Hotel in Cheektowaga.

Archie Butler, 42, of Buffalo, NY, and Jamielah Huggins, 37, of Kenmore, NY, were taken into custody on October 16, 2020, after law enforcement officers conducted surveillance at the hotel on Genesee Street.

According to the complaint, Butler, who is currently on post-release supervision with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision following a New York State drug-related felony conviction, arrived at the hotel in a vehicle driven by Huggins. The two defendants, along with two Hispanic males, entered the hotel together, where they engaged in a brief conversation before leaving with the purple luggage bag containing the cocaine.

The investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, recovered five pressed powder cocaine bricks wrapped in cellophane and duct tape, weighing approximately 5.6 kilograms. Butler was carrying the purple luggage bag containing the cocaine when he and Huggins were arrested.

Butler was detained, while Huggins was released on conditions following their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. 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.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Sliwinski, and Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.

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