Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III announced that 16 year-old Demetrius Tiggs of 162 Keystone Street in Buffalo and 16 year-old Brandan Brown of 694 Walden Avenue in Buffalo, pleaded guilty to violent felonies before Senior Erie County Court Judge Michael D’Amico. Brown pleaded guilty as charged to Robbery in the First and  Second Degrees, while Tiggs pleaded guilty to Robbery in the Second Degree. Tiggs also pleaded guilty as charged to Burglary in the Second Degree under a separate indictment.  Each defendant faces a mandatory state prison term unless adjudicated a Youthful Offender at the time of their sentencing.

The robbery occurred on April 5, 2013 at Sumner and Rohr Streets in the City of Buffalo. The victim, a high school student, was attempting to sell a diamond ring, was lured to the crime scene via Facebook, accosted at gun point, and pistol-whipped.  Brown and Tiggs made off with the victim’s ring, wallet, and iPhone.  Good Samaritans at a nearby church summoned the police and aided the victim. Buffalo Police Officers James McMahon and Vincent Judge quickly responded and arrested Brown and Tiggs a short distance away from the crime scene.

Both defendants were released on bail after their arraignment. Tiggs was again arrested on August 21, 2013, this time burglarizing a home on Wood Avenue in the City of Buffalo.  Neighbors called 911 to report they observed Tiggs and another male (a juvenile delinquent) breaking and entering through a window facing the backyard of the victim’s residence.  Buffalo Police Officer Alphonso Wright promptly responded and apprehended the two burglars hiding inside. The victim, a single mother with three children, was notified at work. Fortunately, neither she nor her children were home at the time of the break-in.  The juvenile delinquent is being prosecuted in Erie County Family Court. 

Tiggs will be sentenced by Judge D’Amico on January 15, 2014 at 9:30am.  Brown will be sentenced by Judge D’Amico on February 14, 2014 at 9:30am. 

The cases were successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta and Michael D. Smith.