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Task Force investigation leads to federal drug charges

A former Jamestown, N.Y., resident has been indicted in federal court on drug charges that include a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Some of the activity that led to the charges occurred in Warren County.

A sole count against Andre Richards, 23, was filed in federal court on Tuesday.

According to a statement from the Department of Justice, Richards is charged with possessing — with intent to distribute — about 9.5 kilograms, nearly 21 pounds, of methamphetamine.

A woman, 19-year-old Maelynne L. McCall, faces charges in Warren County Court for possession of 20.86 pounds of methamphetamine.

“Both are being charged for the larger amount, 20.86 lbs.,” chief county Det. Thomas Kibbey said. “She is also charged with an additional 19 grams that was located in her drawer.”

The DOJ said that the investigation was undertaken by the Warren County Drug Task Force, Warren County District Attorney’s Office, Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics and federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The indictment, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, indicates that Richards is currently jailed on other charges at the Chautauqua County Jail.

Per a filing from the DOJ, the sentence range for the charge is “not less than 10 years” and up to life.

Richards’ name came up recently in Warren County Court in a hearing regarding McCall, who faces charges for the seizure of methamphetamine from her 5 N. Main St. apartment earlier this year.

Kibbey testified that two controlled buys were undertaken from the residence, both of which were coordinated with Richards. Additional testimony indicated that each buy was for about half a pound.

Kibbey testified that McCall and Richards had lived together and share children. He said McCall was interviewed twice in the wake of an executed search warrant. She allegedly said she knew the contents of a box containing over 20 pounds of methamphetamine was bad and she had some idea what was in it.

Kibbey said McCall “assumed it was bad because what Andre did.”

McCall remains jailed in Warren County on $1 million bail.

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