Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III announced that 33 year-old Jovan Barksdale of Woodlawn Street was convicted, as charged, of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, after a week-long jury trial before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth F. Case. 

At 10 o’clock in the morning of April 3, 2012, Buffalo Police officers responded to the area of Johnson Street following a 911 call complaining of two men with guns. Upon sight of the police, Barksdale fled and hid a loaded .380 caliber stolen handgun on the porch of a nearby house. Confidential Criminal Investigator William C. Donovan responded to the call and watched Barksdale hide the weapon under a painter’s tarp.  Barksdale struggled with the Buffalo Police officers when they attempted to place him in custody.

Barksdale did not testify or call any witnesses in his defense.  His attorney, in his closing remarks to the jury, suggested to the jury that the District Attorney “zealously over-prosecutes cases.”

Barksdale faces a maximum prison sentence of 7-15 years when he is sentenced on February 20, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.  Barksdale has four prior felony convictions, including a June 1999 conviction for Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree and Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. Additionally, in June 2005 the Barksdale was convicted of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree.  Sedita praised the efforts of Assistant District Attorney Sara Ogden for her work in prosecuting the case.