Buffalo

Buffalo, New York (WNY News Now).A Buffalo woman who falsely claimed public assistance payments by hiding her marital status and household income was given a five-year probationary term.Photo by the Erie County DA's Office of Carmella Miller On Monday, Carmella Miller, 40, was sentenced in front of Justice Debra Givens of the State Supreme Court. Miller's sentence includes repaying the $6,406 she unlawfully collected from the Erie County Department of Social Services and doing 200 hours of community service. Miller allegedly committed welfare fraud by fabricating re-certification petitions for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) payments between March 1, 2018, and February 29, 2020, according to the prosecution. She was not qualified for the benefits she received since she n...

Buffalo, New York (WNY News Now).The shooting death of a 33-year-old man in Buffalo's Masten Park area has resulted in a guy being sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.Caver, Martinko Jamel Erie County DA's Office Photo Judge Sheila A. DiTullio of Erie County Court sentenced 45-year-old Martinko Jamel Caver on Thursday after he entered a guilty plea to one count of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A-I felony. The indictment was fully fulfilled by the plea, which was entered on November 25, 2024. Prosecutors said the incident happened at around 2:15 a.m. on September 5, 2022. On the 300 block of Glenwood Avenue, Caver purposefully used an illegal handgun to shoot George McGee III, the victim. After being taken by EMS to Erie County Medical Center, McGee was declared deceased. Buffalo...

(WNY News Now) After a narcotics investigation that turned up cocaine and other illegal substances, a Buffalo resident was given a five-year probationary sentence.Jay M. Mudra Erie County DA's Office Photo Today, Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced that Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan had given Buffalo resident Jay M. Mudra, 30, a five-year probationary term. Mudra was sentenced after entering a guilty plea to charges of Third Degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Fourth Degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, all of which are Class B felonies. The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the Erie County Sheriff's Office on May 16, 2024. During a traffic stop in the Town of Grand Island near Riverwoods Drive and Timbe...

Buffalo, New York (WNY News Now) A Buffalo man who fraudulently obtained more than $82,000 in benefits from public assistance programs was given a two-year probationary term.Rodney C. Jones Erie County DA's Office Photo On Monday, Justice Paul B. Wojtaszek of the State Supreme Court jailed 60-year-old Rodney C. Jones of Buffalo. By hiding his wife's income on applications submitted to the Erie County Department of Social Services, Jones unlawfully received over $9,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits between March 1, 2018, and February 28, 2022. Furthermore, between July 1, 2014, and October 31, 2023, Jones earned more than $72,000 from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in dishonest manner. Jones entered a guilty plea on November 12, 2024, to two Class ...

BUFFALO (WNY News Now), U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross stated that N.Y. Dewayne Vass, 43, of Buffalo, had entered a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. A required minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of $10,000,000 are all associated with this accusation. Following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Erie County Sheriff's Office, the defendant entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Authorities carried out search warrants at a Moselle Avenue residence connected to Vass, his Sunshine Drive residence, and his car on July 12, 2024. Large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl, $127,000 in cash, drug paraphernalia, and a handgun were found during t...

(WNY News Now) At the next Build Buffalo networking event, the renovation of the historic Buffalo Central Terminal will be highlighted, providing new business opportunities for subcontractors who are women, minorities, and veterans. Buffalo, New York Buffalo Construction Consultants and the Central Terminal Restoration Corp. (CTRC) will be present at Build Buffalo, a networking event organized by the Buffalo and Western New York Construction Exchange.Attendance, networking, and interaction with prime contractors looking for partners on construction projects are encouraged for certified minority and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) and service-disabled veteran-owned business (SDVOB) subcontractors. Scott Balzer took the picture. The Build Buffalo event will take place on January 21, ...

(WNY News Now) Buffalo, NY After threatening Canisius University on social media, an 18-year-old former student entered a guilty plea today to making a threat of mass harm, a Class B misdemeanor.Losi, Wyatt Erie County DA's Office Photo Before Judge Tiffany R. Perry in Buffalo City Court, Wyatt Losi of Buffalo acknowledged the accusation. With the university's approval, the lower fee was decided. Losi, who was a Canisius student at the time, sent the threatening comment on August 22, 2024, at around 11:37 a.m. The perpetrator was quickly identified and taken into custody by the authorities after the post was published. Losi is still free on his own recognizance because the charge does not qualify for bail. He is prohibited from being in the vicinity of the institution by a temporary stay-a...

(WNY News Now) Buffalo, NY – Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane said that a 60-year-old Buffalo man has entered a guilty plea to a number of retail theft and burglary counts that span many instances at the Walden Galleria.Photograph by the Erie County DA's Office of Gary E. White Three counts of Burglary in the Third Degree and Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, both Class D felonies, were among the six counts Gary E. White, also known as Gary Johnson, admitted to. He also entered a guilty plea to two Class A misdemeanors: Petit Larceny and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fifth Degree. All of the accusations in the indictment against White are covered by his guilty plea. White started his shoplifting rampage on January 16, 2023, when he broke a no-trespassing orde...

32-year-old Devante D. Henley was jailed for shooting at a car and barely missing a victim. Buffalo, New York (WNY News Now) A Buffalo man who tried to gravely hurt a victim during a shooting incident was given a three-year sentence in state prison today. After entering a guilty plea to attempted assault and criminal possession of a firearm, Devante D. Henley, 32, was sentenced by Justice Debra Givens of the State Supreme Court. Around 12:10 a.m. on December 8, 2023, the shooting occurred. Henley intended to seriously injure the victim when he fired several shots from an illegal firearm at a car close to Ship Canal Parkway and Tifft Street in Buffalo. The car suffered severe damage, estimated at $13,000, but the victim was unharmed. After discharging the gun, Henley, who was in his own c...

Buffalo, New York (WNY News Now) A guy who fatally stabbed a 49-year-old on Buffalo's West Side has been sentenced to 16 years in state prison. On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Timothy A. Austin, 37, was sentenced in Erie County Court. In addition, Judge Sheila A. DiTullio sentenced the defendant to five years of post-release supervision. The allegations are related to an altercation on the 400 block of Niagara Street on June 11, 2023, in which Austin fatally stabbed Tremaine Mayfield once in the chest. At at 1:00 p.m., Buffalo police officers answered a 911 call. After being taken to Erie County Medical Center, Mayfield passed away from his wounds. On November 8, 2024, Austin entered a guilty plea to Manslaughter in the First Degree, a serious Class B felony. Buffalo Police Detectives Adam ...