Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 32-year-old Michael T. Sawyer of Buffalo was arraigned yesterday morning before State Supreme Court Justice Deborah A. Haendiges on a 13-count indictment charging him with the following offenses:

• One count of Assault in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felony)
• One count of Attempted Robbery in the First Degree (Class “C” violent felony)
• One count of Robbery in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felony)
• One count of Strangulation in the Second Degree (Class “D” felony)
• One count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (Class “E” felony)
• One count of Assault in the Third Degree (Class “A” misdemeanor)
• Two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class “A” misdemeanors)
• One count of Tampering with a Witness in the Fourth Degree (Class “A” misdemeanor)
• Four counts of Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree (Class “A” misdemeanors)

It is alleged that on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at approximately 5:15 p.m., the defendant attempted to forcibly steal a purse from the elderly victim outside of a grocery store on Harlem Road near Kensington Avenue in the Town of Cheektowaga. The defendant, while driving a stolen vehicle, allegedly grabbed the handles of the bag as the victim held onto her purse. The victim was subsequently dragged by the moving vehicle and fell, which resulted in serious physical injuries.

An unoccupied, stolen vehicle that matched the description of the suspect vehicle was found parked on Miller Avenue near Broadway in the City of Buffalo. When the defendant was confronted by police as he walked toward the stolen vehicle, he attempted to run to evade arrest. He was taken into custody after a brief chase. The defendant was arraigned in Cheektowaga Town Court and held on $200,000 bail.

The victim, an 80-year-old woman from Snyder, was taken to ECMC where she was hospitalized for several weeks for head trauma and other serious physical injuries. She continues to recover from the injuries.

It is alleged that on Friday, April 1, 2022, at approximately 10:36 p.m., the defendant punched and slapped the female victim multiple times during an argument inside of a home in the City of Buffalo. The defendant is also accused of strangling the victim with his hands to the point of unconsciousness and throwing her to the floor during the assault. The victim suffered a concussion and bruising to various parts of her body. The assault allegedly occurred in the presence of two young children.

After the attack, the defendant allegedly took the victim’s cell phone, which prevented her from calling for help. The defendant is also accused of taking the victim’s keys and stealing her vehicle. The victim’s vehicle was allegedly used to commit the attempted robbery outside of the grocery store. The defendant was arraigned on the charges in the domestic violence case in Buffalo City Court Court on April 7, 2022.  

It is further alleged that while in custody on bail, the defendant made several calls from jail to the victim knowingly in violation of an order of protection. The defendant is also accused of attempting to make third-party contact with the victim, knowingly in violation of an order of protection, by allegedly telling one of his family members to speak with the victim in an effort to prevent the victim from coming to court and pursuing the charges against him.

Sawyer is scheduled to return on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. for a pre-trial conference. He was held without bail.

If convicted of all charges, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

A temporary order of protection remains in place on behalf of the victim and her children.

The defendant also has two criminal cases that remain pending in Cheektowaga Town Court. He is scheduled to return for further proceedings on both cases on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

It is alleged that on March 22, 2022, a Cheektowaga Police officer on routine patrol recognized the defendant as he was driving a vehicle with an expired registration and lapsed insurance in the area of Richard Drive and Shanley Street. When the officer initiated a traffic stop and approached the vehicle on South Ogden Street, the defendant allegedly drove off at a high-rate of speed and continued recklessly drive into the City of Buffalo. The vehicle was found unoccupied outside of the defendant’s address on Sage Street. An arrest warrant was issued after police were unable to locate the defendant to give him an appearance ticket to be arraigned on misdemeanor charges, which are non-qualifying offenses for bail. He was arraigned on charges in this case in Cheektowaga Town Court following his arrest for the alleged attempted robbery outside of the grocery store.

It is also alleged that on November 28, 2021, at approximately 5:01 p.m., a Cheektowaga Police officer on routine patrol recognized the defendant driving and changing lanes without signaling on Broadway. A traffic stop was made on Broadway near Dick Road, but the defendant allegedly sped off as the officer approached the vehicle. The officer allegedly terminated the pursuit as the defendant continued to recklessly drive at a high-rate of speed onto Borden Road. An arrest warrant was filed after police were unable to locate the defendant to issue him an appearance ticket to be arraigned on misdemeanor charges, which are non-qualifying offenses for bail. He was later arrested and arraigned in Cheektowaga Town Court in December 2021. The defendant was released on his own recognizance.

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Meredith M. Mohun of the Special Victims/Domestic Violence Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Kevin R. Brown 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.