Historic Demolition Of Drug Houses Underway In Buffalo, NY
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA), New York Division and U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr, Western District of New York, announced today that six drug houses forfeited in the United States v. Theresa Anderson, et al, are being demolished following a historic agreement reached between the City of Buffalo and the U.S. Marshals Service. The houses were used by the Anderson family drug trafficking organization headed by Theresa Anderson who is serving 188 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Hochul was joined by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, United States Marshal Charles Salina, NYS Police Captain Steven Nigrelli, DEA Resident Agent in Charge John Flickinger and Buffalo Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda as the wrecking ball began to tear down these neighborhood eyesores.
The drug trafficking organization controlled drug sales in an entire neighborhood on the East Side of Buffalo, including Swinburne and Deshler Streets. The organization employed several family members to sell crack cocaine on a daily basis in the neighborhood. In order to monopolize narcotics sales in the area, defendants threatened and intimidated rival narcotics traffickers and even purchased several homes in the area which were used for selling and storing the illegal narcotics.
As part of the prosecution, over $50,000 in U.S. currency was seized and eight drug houses were forfeited. Two of the houses were destroyed by fire. The remaining six properties will be demolished by the City of Buffalo working in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals Service. The demolitions will be paid for by funding from the federal asset forfeiture program. These funds include the illegal proceeds of criminal activity.
The six properties being demolished are:
- 41 Deschler
- 54 Deschler
- 19 Swinburne
- 26 Empire
- 39 Empire
- 214 Hutchinson
Two other drug houses on Deshler Street burned down earlier this year.
Theresa Anderson was arrested in February 2012 along with eight others: Steven Butler; Dion Anderson; Melvin Calhoun; Anquensha Hodge, a/k/a Anne Anderson; Wymiko Anderson, a/k/a Red; Toshia Hodge, a/k/a Toshia Anderson; Tajia Anderson, a/k/a Porkchop; and Leo Mellerson; all of Buffalo. Five of these defendants are either children or grandchildren of Anderson. A sixth defendant is Anderson's husband and the two others are boyfriends of Andersons' daughters. All nine have been convicted and sentenced.
