Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that Jayshawn L. Williams, 35, of Buffalo, was sentenced this morning before State Supreme Court Justice Betty Calvo-Torres. He received a determinate sentenced of 13 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. Williams was sentenced as a second violent felony offender.
On Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at approximately 7:49 p.m., the defendant, while acting in concert with another person, forcibly store property from a liquor store on Lakeshore Road in the Town of Hamburg. Both defendants were wearing ski masks when they entered the store. During the robbery, one of the defendants displayed what appeared to be a pistol while they forced the employee to open the cash register. The defendants fled in a vehicle after stealing cash, several bottles of liquor and the victim’s cell phone. The crime was captured on the store’s video surveillance.
Officers from the Town of Hamburg Police Department, who were responding to the 911 call from the victim, initiated a traffic stop after locating the suspect vehicle nearby. When the female driver exited the vehicle and surrendered to police, Jayshawn Williams jumped from the rear seat into the driver’s seat and drove away. Police pursued the vehicle into the City of Lackawanna. After stopping the vehicle on Madison Street, Williams attempted to run from police but was quickly apprehended. His co-defendant, Mark Rockmore, complied with police orders and exited the vehicle without incident. Police found Williams in possession of $853 and recovered several bottles of Hennessey and ski masks from inside of the vehicle. A firearm was not recovered during the investigation.
Justice Betty Calvo-Torres found Williams guilty of one count of Robbery in the First Degree (Class B violent felony) following a three-day, non-jury trial in January 2025. The defendant was convicted of the sole count of the indictment.
His co-defendant, Mark Rockmore, 31, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty to one count of Robbery in the Second Degree (Class C violent felony) in June 2025. Rockmore, who was also sentenced as a second violent felony offender, is currently serving a determinate term of 7 years in state prison.
DA Keane commends Detective Christopher Butera, Officer Paul Dhand, Officer Peter Randall and Officer Ryan Dreyer of the Town of Hamburg Police Department for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney James L. Harrington of the Felony Trials Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Denise A. Herman of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Bureau.