Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 52-year-old Damian M. Baird of Clarence pleaded guilty this afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to four counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (Class “D” felonies).
Between February 3, 2023 and March 15, 2023, the defendant, while working as an investment broker, fraudulent obtained a total of $153,503.00 from four accounts belonging to two clients in Erie County. The defendant deposited the victims’ checks into his personal bank account instead of their investment account. An investigation was conducted after one of the clients filed a dispute after receiving a notice that their investment account had not been funded and their check had been altered to be made payable to the defendant.
Baird faces a maximum of 7 years in prison when he is sentenced on Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. He continues to be released on his own recognizance pending sentence.
As a condition of the plea, Baird signed Confessions of Judgment to pay full restitution of $153,503.00 to the victims.
DA Flynn commends Detective Mark Muscoreil of the Town of Tonawanda Police Department for his work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brian Dassero of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions (SIP) Bureau.