Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 27-year-old Semaj T. Pigram of Buffalo pleaded guilty on Friday morning before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felony). The defendant pleaded guilty to the only charge in the indictment against him.

On Monday, June 1, 2020, at approximately 10:00 p.m., the defendant was the passenger of a vehicle that drove through a law enforcement blockade at a protest on Bailey Avenue and Decker Street in the City of Buffalo. A New York State trooper suffered serious physical injuries after being runover by the vehicle.

During the investigation into the incident, a loaded, illegal handgun was found inside of the vehicle near where the defendant was seated. The defendant was linked to the illegal gun through DNA evidence.

The case against the accused driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old Deyanna J. Davis of Buffalo, remains pending. Davis was indicted on two counts of Assault in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felonies).  

Davis is accused of intentionally and recklessly engaging in behavior that caused serious physical injuries to another person by using her vehicle as a dangerous instrument. In addition, the defendant allegedly, under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life, recklessly engaged in conduct, which created a grave risk of death to another person, and thereby caused serious physical injury to another person.

The victim spent several weeks at ECMC to be treated for a shattered pelvis and a broken leg. He remains unable to return to work as a New York State trooper as he continues to recover from the injuries.

Davis remains released on bail previously posted in Buffalo City Court. A jury trial has been scheduled to occur on Monday, December 12, 2022.

If convicted of the highest charge, Davis faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Pigram also pleaded guilty on Friday before Judge Case to one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (Class “B” felony) in a separate indictment. He pleaded guilty to the highest sustainable charge.

On February 21, 2020, at approximately 12:18 p.m., Pigram and co-defendant, Walter Stewart, Jr., were arrested after they sold a quantity of crack cocaine to an undercover investigator in the vicinity of Ridge Road and Franklin Avenue in the City of Lackawanna.

Pigram was sentenced on both indictments last week. He received a determinate sentence of 7 years in prison and 5 years of post-release supervision. He was sentenced as a second violent felony offender.

His co-defendant, 31-year-old Walter Stewart, Jr. of Buffalo, also pleaded guilty to one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, the highest sustainable charge. Stewart was sentenced on Friday morning before Judge Case to a determinate sentence of 3 years in prison followed by 2 years of post-release supervision.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department, New York State Police and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office for their work in these investigations.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan D. Haggerty of the Homicide Unit and Assistant District Attorney Ryan M. Flaherty of the Felony Trials Bureau.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.