Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 26-year-old Brandon Williams, also known as Branden Williams, of Amherst was sentenced yesterday afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to a determinate sentence of 7 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. He was sentenced as a second violent felony offender.

On September 15, 2020, at approximately 6:57 p.m., an individual called 911 to report that a man was threatening her with a gun and trying to steal items from her home on the Lower West Side in the City of Buffalo. At approximately 7:03 p.m., a Buffalo Police officer responded to the call and observed the defendant, outside near the side entrance of the home, in possession of two guns. The Buffalo Police Officer heard the defendant racking a gun and ordered the defendant to drop the weapons. The defendant dropped the guns and then immediately jumped a fence and ran from the police in an attempt to evade an arrest.

At approximately 7:07 p.m., a police lieutenant was responding to assist when he saw the defendant, who matched the description of the suspect, walking a short distance away from the initial call in the vicinity of Hudson and 7^th Streets. The defendant was taken into custody without incident.

Both guns, a pistol and revolver, were recovered by Buffalo Police officers. The defendant, who was on parole at the time of the crime, was linked to the illegal pistol through DNA analysis.

Williams pleaded guilty, as charged, to two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felonies) on March 4, 2022. He received a determinate sentence of 7 years in prison on each charge, which he will serve concurrently.

DA Flynn commends Detective Christopher Gerace, Lieutenant John Beyer, Officers Peter Goretti and Jordan Burke of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Samantha King and Nicholas Bussi of the Felony Trials Bureau.