United States Attorney Terrance P. Flynn
Western District of New York

 

BUFFALO, N.Y. - United States Attorney Terrance P. Flynn announced that, on January 29, 2007, Markel Curry, age 35, of Buffalo, New York, pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge William M.. Skretny, to engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise. This charge carries statutory penalties of a mandatory minimum 20 years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. In his plea agreement, Curry agreed to the forfeiture of over $800,000 in cash, real property, firearms and other assets seized during the investigation of his drug activities.

United States Attorney Flynn stated the defendant admitted to being the organizer, supervisor and manager of other individuals who engaged in a series of narcotics violations between 1994 and 2003. Curry admitted that he and individuals under his control were responsible for selling and manufacturing large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine in the Buffalo area during this period of time. Curry was arrested in Buffalo on August 2, 2003 as he attempted to purchase 30 kilograms of cocaine from a law enforcement officer posing as a supplier of cocaine

The plea was the culmination of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Laurie Bennett, the Drug Enforcement Administration under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Nancy Coté and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge David P. DeJoe.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2007 before U.S. District Court Judge William Skretny.

 

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