Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 22-year-old James Taylor of Buffalo has been sentenced by Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to 5 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.

On June 29, 2018, the Buffalo Police Department was investigating a reported shooting that occurred earlier at approximately 8 p.m. on June 28 on Burgard Place in the City of Buffalo. A witness provided the description of a red Ford Fusion.

Around midnight, officers located a red Ford Fusion matching the description, which was parked with its engine running on the 2700 block of Bailey Avenue, approximately a mile away from the reported shooting on Burgard Place. When police approached the vehicle and asked the occupants for identification, a revolver was viewed in plain sight under the rear center console of the vehicle.

Officers recovered the revolver, which was loaded with five rounds. The gun was submitted to the Erie County Central Police Services Laboratory where it was determined to be operable.

In February 2019, a jury found Taylor guilty, as charged, on one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class “C” felony. The defendant was convicted on the only count in the indictment against him.

DA Flynn commends Detective Christopher Gerace, Lt. Jonathan Pietrzak and Officer Jason Schnelle of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick B. Shanahan of the DA’s Tactical Prosecution Unit and Assistant District Attorney Ryan M. Flaherty of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau.