Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 24-year-old Elijah Watkins of Buffalo and 20-year-old Siobhan Pratcher of Buffalo both pleaded guilty before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller to Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.

On December 27, 2016, the two defendants and co-defendant 26-year-old Marquel Smith of Cheektowaga were pulled over on Warwick Avenue when Buffalo Police officers noticed a broken mirror on the driver’s side of the vehicle. Officers located a loaded .40 caliber pistol inside the vehicle.

Watkins and Pratcher are scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, May 11, 2018 at 9:30 a.m.

Watkins was convicted in 2012 for possession of a loaded firearm. As a Second Violent Felony Offender, Watkins faces a maximum of 7 years in prison. Pratcher also faces a maximum possible sentence of 7 years imprisonment. However, Pratcher has no prior felony convictions and is eligible for probation.

Marquel Smith pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree on August 11, 2017. Smith was sentenced to 4 years in prison on October 27, 2017.

Chief Paul Glascott of the DA’s Vehicular Crimes Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Kevin M. Linder prosecuted the case.