U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced July 15, 2026 that Ernest Brown (also known as Wayne Perry and Wayne Brown), 43, of Buffalo, was sentenced in federal court to 175 months in prison after a conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 400 grams of fentanyl. U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. imposed the federal term to run consecutive to an Erie County sentence of 25 years to life that Brown previously received following a jury conviction for second‑degree murder and second‑degree criminal possession of a weapon.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Brown acted as a source of supply for co‑defendant Joseph Zaso. Zaso met Brown through another co‑defendant, James Jackson, who worked as a middleman for narcotics transactions. The release says Brown met his co‑conspirators at multiple locations in Buffalo, including Zaso’s and Jackson’s residences; at times Jackson delivered fentanyl to Zaso on Brown’s behalf. The office said Zaso has been convicted and is awaiting sentencing, while charges remain pending against Jackson.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Louis A. Testani. The federal investigation involved the Jamestown Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office. The case was handled as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative in Buffalo.
The sentencing was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York on July 15, 2026.
