Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 17-year-old male from Buffalo was sentenced yesterday afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan, a designated Youth Part judge, to 5 years of incarceration followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. At the request of prosecutors, the adolescent offender was denied youthful offender adjudication.

On March 8, 2022, the adolescent offender, while acting in concert with other unknown individuals, displayed what appeared to be a pistol and forcibly stole food and approximately $17 in cash from a delivery driver on Donovan Drive in the City of Buffalo.

On March 9, 2022, the adolescent offender, while acting in concert with other unknown individuals, displayed what appeared to be a pistol and forcibly stole food and an unknown sum of cash from a second delivery driver on Donovan Drive in the City of Buffalo.

The defendant committed the first two crimes when he was 16-years-old.

On July 28, 2022, the adolescent offender, while acting in concert with another unknown individual, forcibly stole property from two female victims after following them from a casino to one of the victim’s home in the Town of West Seneca. The defendant pushed one of the women to the ground and forcibly stole her purse. The unidentified co-defendant displayed what appeared to be a pistol and stole the other victim’s purse.

On August 5, 2022, the adolescent offender displayed what appeared to be a pistol and forcibly stole property from an elderly couple after following them from a casino to their home in the Town of Cheektowaga. The defendant fled after stealing a watch from one of the victims.

On August 6, 2022, the adolescent offender displayed what appeared to be a pistol and forcibly stole a small amount of cash and keys from an elderly couple after following them from a casino to their home in the Town of West Seneca. The defendant fled, but he was arrested a short time later by the Buffalo Police Department.

Assistant District Attorney Denise Herman filed an extraordinary circumstances motion and successfully argued that the adolescent offender should not be adjudicated in Family Court due to the serious nature of the crimes.

The adolescent offender pleaded guilty to five counts of Robbery in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felonies), the highest counts in the indictment against him, on December 12, 2022.

Yesterday, Judge Eagan issued final orders of protection on behalf of all eight victims, which remain in effect for the next five years.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department, Cheektowaga Police Department, and West Seneca Police Department for their work in these investigations.

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Denise A. Herman of the Felony Trials Bureau.