Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 22-year-old Curtis N. Hathcock, Jr. of Cheektowaga pleaded guilty this morning before Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to one count of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class “D” felony.

On August 7, 2020, at approximately 7:53 p.m., Buffalo Police officers were dispatched to investigate a report of shots fired in the vicinity of Hertel and Virgil Avenues. The officers observed the defendant exit a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle provided by the 911 caller. When the officers approached, the defendant ran southbound on Virgil Avenue where he was quickly apprehended. Officers obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and recovered an illegal, loaded pistol.

Hathcock faces a maximum of 7 years in prison when he is sentenced as a second felony offender on April 8, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. He remains released on a previously posted $10,000 bond.  

DA Flynn commends Officers Justin Ayala and Nicholas Yant as well as Detectives Zachary Burgess and Thomas Starkey of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan M. Flaherty of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau.