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Four Family Members Plead Guilty in Crack Cocaine Conspiracy
BUFFALO, N.Y. – In a shocking turn of events, four family members have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in a case that has shaken the streets of Buffalo. Dion Anderson, Melvin Calhoun, Toshia Hodge, and Anquensha Hodge, all of Buffalo, pleaded guilty to the charge before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine or both, a harsh reality for the defendants who have been embroiled in a family-run drug trafficking organization that controlled drug sales on Swinburne and Deshler Streets in the City of Buffalo.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Marangola, who is handling the case, the defendants participated in a family-run drug trafficking organization headed by family matriarch and grandmother Theresa Anderson. The organization sold crack cocaine on a daily basis in the neighborhood, and in order to monopolize narcotics sales in the area, Theresa Anderson threatened and intimidated rival narcotics traffickers and even purchased several homes in the area which were used for selling and storing the illegal narcotics.
The investigation, which was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Brian R. Crowell, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Division, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Michael Cerretto, has brought the total number of defendants convicted to eight. Charges against Leo Mellerson are still pending.
The pleas are the culmination of a long and arduous investigation that has left a lasting impact on the community. The family’s grip on the neighborhood’s narcotics trade has been broken, and the community is breathing a sigh of relief.
The defendants will be sentenced on the following dates: Dion Anderson on October 21, 2013; Melvin Calhoun on October 22, 2013; Anquensha Hodge on October 23, 2013; and Toshia Hodge on October 24, all before Judge Arcara.
This case is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of family-run drug trafficking organizations on communities. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and bring you updates as more information becomes available.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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