Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 25-year-old Anthony Burse of Buffalo has been sentenced by State Supreme Court Justice Russell P. Buscaglia to 21 years in prison followed by 25 years of post-release supervision.

On September 24, 2017, at approximately 3 a.m., the defendant cut the screen of a living room window and entered an apartment on North Street in the City of Buffalo. Once inside, the defendant threatened the female victim with a knife, forced her to engage in oral sexual conduct and then forcibly raped her. After the sexual assault, the defendant stole cash, a cell phone and various contents from the victim’s wallet.

The defendant was unknown to the victim and was identified by forensic DNA analysis.

Burse pleaded guilty, as charged, to one count of Rape in the First Degree, two counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, one count of Burglary in the Second Degree and one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree on August 6, 2018.

DA Flynn commends the investigative work by Detective Melanie Janusz and Detective Adam Stephany of the Buffalo Police Department Sex Offense Squad, the sexual assault nurse examiners at ECMC and the forensic biologists at Central Police Services.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Cathleen M. Roemer and Rosanne E. Johnson, Chief of the DA’s Special Victims Bureau.