BUFFALO — Dwayne Lowery aka Chi Chi, 31, of Jamestown pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and kidnapping, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $5,000,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donna M. Duncan, Joshua A. Violanti, and Louis A. Testani, who are handling the case, stated that on December 7, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lowery’s West Cowden Place residence, seizing 59 grams of fentanyl, $1,140 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. Prior to the search warrant, investigators conducted two controlled purchases of fentanyl from Lowery at his residence.

In mid-October 2023, Lowery invited a woman to a North Union Street residence in Olean.

For the next 22 days, the woman was held by Lowery at various locations, including residences associated with Lowery in Buffalo and Olean, and a Buffalo hotel. When the Victim attempted to flee, Lowery physically prevented her from doing so. During this time, Lowery regularly provided the person with narcotics. On November 3, 2023, the woman escaped Lowery’s Buffalo residence, went to Buffalo Police headquarters, and reported that she was being held against her will.

The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and the Olean Police Department under the direction of Police Chief Ron Richardson.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 10 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.

The December 2022 raid on Lowery’s West Cowden Place property were part of a large-scale fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution ring in Jamestown and Ellicott.

Search warrants were served Dec. 7 at three locations: 628 Spring St. and 15 W. Cowden St. in Jamestown and 252 W. Main St. in Falconer. Members of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, investigators with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office and the Ellicott Police Department assisted in the case. Later that week, federal charges were announced against Elina Martinez of Miami, Fla., who was arrested on a criminal complaint for possession with intent to distribute, and distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Martinez was stopped Dec. 7, 2022, on North Main Street for traffic violations, though the vehicle was being tracked as part of a narcotics investigation. She gave police a Florida driver’s license and car rental paperwork for the vehicle. After Martinez reportedly consented to a search, police discovered “suspicious powder residue” inside a suitcase. Two K-9 dogs were then brought to the scene, and each alerted to the presence of drugs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

Officers found a plastic bag of pills “secreted in (the) battery of the car,” the office said. The pills later tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.

Jamestown police last week first announced the large seizure, noting that about 50,000 to 60,000 fentanyl pills had been recovered in the traffic stop. Police had estimated the street value of the pills at $500,000; however, the U.S. Attorney’s Office later said the fentanyl — designed to look like an authentic M30 Oxycodone tablet — was worth about $1.3 million.

In February 2024 Lowery was among six people charged in connection with an alleged robbery, assault and unlawful imprisonment in Jamestown at a home on Stowe Street. Jamestown police officers responded to the home to check the well being of a person after being told a man had been robbed and assaulted and was being held inside of a residence against his will. Officers responded to the residence and after several minutes, the man exited the residence with two other men. The man appeared to have been assaulted as he had several facial injuries that required medical treatment. EMTs were called to the scene and the man was transported to UPMC Chautauqua for treatment.

One of the men allegedly involved in the robbery and assault came out with the victim, while others allegedly involved remained in the house. Police made several announcements for those inside the home to leave before a perimeter was set around the home and a search warrant was eventually executed by the Jamestown Police Department SWAT Team. Lowery was among those inside the home when SWAT team members entered. According to a police report, Lowery had outstanding warrants from Jamestown City Court and had allegedly assaulted the man while stealing his cell phone and wallet as well as not allowing him to leave the home. Lowery also allegedly failed to allow a woman to leave the residence when officers arrived on scene and gave commands for those inside the home to leave. Lowery was charged with robbery, assault, and two counts of unlawful imprisonment.