Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that a 16-year-old female from Buffalo pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case, a designated Youth Part judge, to one count of Assault in the Second Degree (Class “D” felony). The adolescent offender pleaded guilty to the only charge in the indictment against her.

On Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at approximately 12:14 p.m., the defendant, with the intent to cause physical injury, stabbed the victim multiple times with a knife during a fight. The crime occurred in the women’s restroom inside of Buffalo School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management on West Huron Street in the City of Buffalo. The victim, a 17-year-old female, was taken by ambulance to Oishei Children’s Hospital. The victim spent two days in the hospital to be treated for multiple stab wounds to her backside. She continues to recover from the injuries.

The adolescent offender is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. If denied youthful offender status at sentencing, the adolescent offender faces a maximum sentence of 7 years in prison. If granted youthful offender status, she faces a maximum sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years of incarceration.

The adolescent offender continues to be held without bail in the custody of the Erie County Youth Services Center.  A temporary order of protection, issued on behalf of the victim at arraignment, remains in effect.

“I want the youth in our community to understand that there are serious consequences to engaging in any criminal behavior – especially inside of a school. This violent behavior will not be tolerated and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases in Youth Part,” said Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department for their work in this investigation.  

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Denise A. Herman of the Felony Trials Bureau.