A Jamestown man has been sentenced to 37 months in prison for his involvement in a drug conspiracy, according to U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo. Charles Lawson, also known as Charley Marley, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who prosecuted the case, explained that between January and March 2020, Lawson collaborated with others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. He was closely associated with Rocco Beardsley and played an active role in Beardsley's drug trafficking operations. Lawson used Facebook as a platform to advertise and sell drugs on behalf of Beardsley and received narcotics for personal use as compensation for his services. On January 23, 2020, Lawson participated in a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Beardsley. Beardsley has already been convicted and sentenced.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at identifying, disrupting, and dismantling high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a coordinated approach involving multiple agencies led by prosecutors and driven by intelligence.
The investigation leading to Lawson's sentencing was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration under Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino III of the New York Field Division and the Jamestown Police Department under Chief Timothy Jackson.
