Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that Ibben S. Akbar, 33, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller to one count of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (Class “C” felony).
On Monday, September 30, 2024, at approximately 11:47 a.m., a property management company called 911 to report that their employees found a large quantity of suspected cocaine inside of an unoccupied apartment on Washington Street in the City of Buffalo. The employees were preparing to paint the apartment when they found a plastic bag inside of a clothes dryer, which contained approximately five kilograms of packaged narcotics and a digital scale. The property had been vacant since November 2023.
A short time later, at approximately 12:11 p.m., the defendant unlocked the door and entered the apartment while responding Buffalo Police officers were investigating the complaint. The defendant, who was found in possession of a key to the unoccupied apartment, was placed under arrest. The suspected narcotics were placed into evidence for further analysis, which tested positive for cocaine. The defendant was further linked to the narcotics after his DNA was found on the plastic bag.
Akbar faces a maximum of 5 years in prison when he is sentenced as a second violent felony offender on Friday, May 16, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. He remains released on bail posted at $200,000.
DA Keane commends Detective Bart Adams and Officer Kevin Kohl of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Justin T. Wallens of the Narcotics/Intelligence Bureau.