Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 27-year-old Sydney Harvey of Charlotte, N.C. was arraigned on Monday morning before Amherst Town Court Justice Kara A. Buscaglia on the following charges:

• One count of Identity Theft in the Second Degree (Class “E” felony)
• One count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (Class “E” felony)
• One count of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree (Class “A” misdemeanor)

Harvey was arraigned on Sunday morning before Cheektowaga Town Court Justice David Stevens on the following charges:

• Three counts of Identity Theft in the Second Degree (Class “E” felonies)
• Three counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (Class “E” felonies)
• Three of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree (Class “E” felonies)
• One count of Possession of Burglar Tools (Class “A” misdemeanor)

The defendant was also arraigned on Saturday morning before Buffalo City Court Judge Barbara Johnson-Lee on the following charges:

• One count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (Class “E” felony)
• One count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree (Class “E” felony)
• One count of Possession of Burglar Tools (Class “A” misdemeanor)
• One count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class “A” misdemeanor)

The defendant is accused of using burglar tools to break locks and steal personal property from gym lockers at fitness clubs in Buffalo, Amherst and Cheektowaga. The defendant is accused of stealing credit and debit cards belonging to multiple victims. The defendant is accused of committing one of the crimes while a 4-year-old child was left unattended inside her vehicle.

The defendant was stopped by Border Patrol agents on Friday afternoon after allegedly making a wrong turn at the Peace Bridge. Investigators allegedly found the defendant in possession of numerous stolen credit and debit cards, bolt cutters and a pry bar.

Harvey is scheduled to return for felony hearings on the following dates: July 7 in Amherst Town Court, August 18 in Buffalo City Court, and September 24 in Cheektowaga Town Court.

The defendant was released on her own recognizance on all three cases as all of the charges are non-qualifying for bail.

The Erie County District Attorney John Flynn will request that our office be recused from prosecuting these cases as one of the alleged victims is an Assistant District Attorney.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department, Amherst Police Department, Cheektowaga Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and U.S. Homeland Security for their work in the investigation.  

The case was investigated by Erie County District Attorney’s Office Confidential Criminal Investigators Mark Vaughn, Sal Valvo, Phil Torre and Natalie Perez.

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