Two individuals have been indicted for allegedly selling fentanyl in Western New York, including Jamestown.

U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo has announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ernest Brown, a/k/a Wayne Perry, a/k/a Wayne Brown, 42, of Buffalo, and James Jackson, a/k/a Bookah 38, of Jamestown with narcotics conspiracy.

Brown faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life, while Jackson faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Louis A. Testani, who are handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between 2018, and May 26, 2022, Brown and Jackson conspired with Joseph S. Zaso and others, to sell fentanyl in the Buffalo and Jamestown areas. Joseph Zaso was previously charged and convicted and is awaiting sentencing.

Brown and Jackson were arraigned before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Roemer and detained.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.