Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that Rachad DeJesus, 27, of Cleveland, Ohio was virtually arraigned before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio on an indictment charging him with four counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Class “C” violent felonies.

It is alleged that on November 12, 2019 a search warrant was executed at an apartment on Hertel Avenue in the City of Buffalo. Inside the apartment, investigators found the defendant in possession of four semi-automatic pistols. The defendant is accused of illegally transporting the guns from Cleveland to Buffalo.

DeJesus is scheduled to return on January 13 at 4:00 p.m. for a pre-trial hearing.  Bail was set at $150,000. If convicted on all charges, DeJesus faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. 

Recently, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted a case against an Alabama man for illegally transporting guns to Buffalo. On September 9, 2018, Jeffrey D. Lewis, 29, was arrested after an investigation determined that he was purchasing guns in Alabama and transporting the weapons to Buffalo. The defendant was found in possession of four semi-automatic pistols after police executed a search warrant of his vehicle during a traffic stop on Hempstead Avenue. Lewis pleaded guilty to one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class “C” felony, on October 17, 2019. He pleaded guilty to the highest charge in the indictment against him. He was sentenced earlier this month to 3 ½ years in prison followed by 2 ½ years of post-release supervision. 

Earlier this year, the Erie County DA’s Office successfully prosecuted another gun trafficker, Von D. Harmon, Jr., 29, of Buffalo. Harmon pleaded guilty to one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a Class “D” felony, before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller.  He was sentenced on June 22 to a three-year conditional discharge. 

“Unfortunately, there has been a drastic increase in the number of shootings in the City of Buffalo this year. While it is important to prosecute those who commit these senseless acts of violence, I want to be proactive on this issue by removing the illegal guns from our streets before they get into the hands of criminals,” said Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn. “Anyone who transports an illegal gun into our community will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

DA Flynn commends members of law enforcement who assisted in these investigations, including the Buffalo Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The case against Rachad DeJesus is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan D. Haggerty of the DA’s Tactical Prosecution Unit. ADA Haggerty prosecuted the case against Von D. Harmon, Jr. The case against Jeffrey D. Lewis was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brian D. Langenfeld of the DA’s Tactical Prosecution Unit.