Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr. announces that 47-year-old Kevin Schwartz of Buffalo has been sentenced by Erie County Court Judge Thomas P. Franczyk to 20 years in prison and five years post-release supervision. 

In August, Schwartz pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree in the death of a Cheektowaga man. 

On July 6, 2015, while committing a burglary inside the home of 67-year-old Lawrence Cassata, at 1082 Walden Avenue, the defendant fatally beat the victim. 

Acting DA Flaherty would like to thank the Cheektowaga Police Department for its investigation into this homicide, especially Patrolmen Jason West, Jacob Wodowski, Lieutenant Thomas Wentland, and Detectives Timothy Szymanski and David Mossman. 

Assistant District Attorneys Gary W. Hackbush and Meghan E. Leydecker prosecuted the case.