Surveillance leads to arrest of butyryl fentanyl dealer

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Acting Special Agent in Charge Keith Kruskall, New York Division, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Myles Scales, 27, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute butyryl fentanyl. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Astorga, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on Nov. 14, 2017 at approximately 6:04 p.m., two Buffalo Police officers observed a blue 2013 Dodge Avenger parked in the vicinity of 1310 Broadway for a few minutes and then observed it leave. Approximately 20 minutes later, the officers observed the same vehicle parked again near 1310 Broadway, where it remained for a few minutes before departing again.

The officers followed the vehicle to the intersection of Broadway and Miller Avenue, at which time the defendant jumped out of the front passenger door of the vehicle and shuffled through traffic to the sidewalk. The officers got out of their vehicle and approached Scales, who placed his right hand into the pocket of his hoodie. Concerned that the defendant was reaching for a weapon, one the officers took the defendant’s hand and pulled it from the pocket. Scales was clutching a large plastic bundle. The bundle was actually a plastic bag containing nine bundles which contained 81 white and blue-checkered glassine envelopes of suspected controlled substances. Scales was arrested at the scene. Subsequent testing determined that the substance was butyryl fentanyl.

The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department and the DEA’s Buffalo Resident Office. 

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.  

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