Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 21-year-old Shaland S. Souverain, also known as Souverain Shaland, of Amherst was arraigned this morning before Cheektowaga Town Court Justice James J. Speyer, Jr. on the following offenses:

• One count of Kidnapping in the Second Degree (Class “B” felony)
• One count of Custodial Interference in the First Degree (Class “E” felony)
• One count of Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree (Class “E” felony)
• Three counts of Assault in the Second Degree (Class “D” felonies)
• One count of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree (Class “D” felony)
• One count of Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree (Class “A” misdemeanor)
• One count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class “A” misdemeanor)

It is alleged that on Thursday, March 10, 2022, at approximately 11:01 a.m., the defendant was scheduled for a supervised visit at the Erie County Department of Social Services office on Union Road in the Town of Cheektowaga when he abducted his own 4-year-old child. A Child Protective Services employee allegedly chased after the defendant as he ran to his vehicle in the parking lot. The defendant is accused of shoving the CPS employee into a parked vehicle as he entered his own vehicle with the child. It is further alleged that the defendant hit the CPS employee with his vehicle as he fled the scene. The employee was taken to ECMC to be treated for injuries and released.

The defendant was located at his apartment on Travers Circle in the Town of Amherst. He was taken into custody without incident after a several hour standoff with law enforcement. The child was found uninjured and returned to the custody of Erie County Child Protective Services.

Souverain is scheduled to return on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. He was held without bail.

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

DA Flynn commends the Cheektowaga Police Department, Amherst Police Department and Erie County Child Protective Services for their work in this investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Cathleen M. Roemer of the Special Victims/Domestic Violence Bureau.  

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.