Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 23-year-old Joel Dean of Buffalo pleaded guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns to one count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a Class “B” violent felony. The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest charge in the indictment against him on February 24, 2020.

On September 29, 2019, at approximately 3:00 a.m., the defendant attempted to cause the death of another person by shooting him multiple times on the front porch of a home on Westminster Avenue in the City of Buffalo.

The victim was taken to ECMC to be treated for serious injuries, including a collapsed lung.

Dean faces a maximum of 25 years in prison when he is sentenced on Thursday, April 2, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. He remains held without bail.

DA Flynn commends Lt. John Pietrzak as well as Detectives Krug, Bonner, Miller, and Anderson of the Buffalo Police Department Gun Violence Unit for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick B. Shanahan of the DA’s Tactical Prosecution Unit.