Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that 30-year-old Jaquail A. Yamani of Cheektowaga pleaded guilty on Tuesday afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio to all counts in the indictment:
- Two counts of Attempted Robbery in the First Degree (Class “C” violent felonies)
- One count of Attempted Assault in the First Degree (Class “C” violent felony)
- One count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felony)
- One count of Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree (Class “D” violent felony)
On Monday, May 1, 2023, at approximately 3:57 p.m., the defendant attempted to forcibly steal property from the victim while armed with an illegal gun. The victim was working at a business on the 1100 block of Walden Avenue in the Town of Cheektowaga when the defendant, who was wearing a face mask, entered the store to pawn a laptop and a Bluetooth speaker. While the victim was looking at the items, two other unidentified individuals, who were also wearing face masks, entered the store.
When the defendant displayed a handgun, the victim pushed the gun away from his head, retreated into the back of the store and displayed his licensed firearm. After the defendant fired the initial shot at the victim, the victim and his co-worker, who was also in possession of a licensed firearm, returned fire. The defendant and one of the unidentified suspects, who was also armed with a gun, fired multiple rounds toward the victims then fired additional rounds through the front window of the store to escape.
The victims were not injured in the shooting. Later the same day, the defendant sought medical treatment for a gunshot wound at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania. The defendant was linked to the crime through the video surveillance, license plate readers and the laptop, which was abandoned at the scene. The two other individuals have not been identified.
Yamani faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on Friday, August 9, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. He remains held without bail.
Acting DA Keane commends Lieutenant Justin Haag, Detective Kurt Spieler and Detective James Genson of the Cheektowaga Police Department, members of the New York State Police, and Detective Nico Fioravanti of the Erie Police Department for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ryan M. Flaherty and Nicholas Marino of the Felony Trials Bureau.