Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announced that 33 year-old Michael Janowsky of the Town of Tonawanda pleaded guilty as charged to one count of Burglary in the Second Degree and one count of Assault in the Second Degree before Erie County Court Judge Michael F. Pietruszka. These are the highest charges for which the defendant could have been convicted had he gone to trial. In other words, Janowsky did not receive a so-called “plea bargain” and was instead prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 

In March of 2014, Janowsky knocked at the door of 423 Breckenridge Ave. in the City of Buffalo. No one answered and Janowsky, assuming no one was inside at the time forcibly entered the residence through a basement window. Confronted by two women inside, Janowsky was able to convince them that he was there at the landlord’s request to do some plumbing work. After Janowsky left, the unsuspecting tenants discovered their laptop computers had been stolen.  The victims provided the police with Janowsky’s name and possible location, which led to his prompt arrest and indictment for second degree burglary. 

In October 2014, and while in custody awaiting trial, Janowsky attacked a Deputy Sheriff inside the Erie County Holding Center, breaking the Deputy’s hand.

No stranger to the criminal justice system, Janowsky has been convicted of Attempted Burglary on two prior occasions, as well as other offenses, such as larceny and resisting arrest. As a Second Violent Felony Offender, Janowsky faces up to 22 years in state prison when sentenced by Judge Pietruszka on August 17, 2015.

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney James Mansour, II, who is assigned to DA Sedita’s Felony Trial Bureau.