Grand Jury Indicts Buffalo Man In Connection With Shooting Following A Botched Drug Deal

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Charlie Yancey, 29, of Buffalo, NY, with conspiring to distribute marijuana, attempted possession of marijuana, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, being a felon-in-possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life in prison.      

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on July 28, 2019, the defendant met an individual (Victim) in the parking lot of a convenience store to obtain marijuana. When Yancey arrived, he got into the backseat of the Victim’s vehicle.  The defendant attempted to give the Victim fake money in exchange for the marijuana. As a result, the Victim got out of the driver’s seat and went to the rear passenger door, at which point Yancey exited the vehicle and began shooting at the Victim, firing a total of nine rounds. The Victim was transported to the hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening gunshot wounds.

Yancey, who was on New York State parole at the time of the alleged shooting, absconded from parole and was later arrested, convicted, and sentenced on a parole violation in October 2019.
The defendant was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.

The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia;  and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of Commissioner Anthony Annucci. 

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.