Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 27-year-old Sonny Martinez of Cheektowaga has been sentenced by Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to a determinate sentence of 15 years in prison followed by 15 years of post-release supervision. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.

During the early morning hours of Saturday, January 19, 2019, the defendant caused the death of 23-year-old Brittney Balbuzoski inside his apartment on Ivanhoe Road in the Town of Cheektowaga. The defendant admitted that he strangled the victim and recklessly caused her death. 

Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of Manslaughter in the Second Degree as a Sexually Motivated Felony, a Class “C” felony, on July 8, 2019.

DA Flynn commends Detectives Terrence Griffin and Chris Chojnacki of the Cheektowaga Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Garvey of the DA’s Homicide Bureau.