Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announced that 35 year-old Kenneth Morris of 191 Franklin Street, Lackawanna, pleaded guilty as charged to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree before Erie County Court Judge Michael L. D’Amico.  These were the highest charges for which Morris could have been convicted had he gone to trial. 

Morris’s convictions stem from three separate incidents.

Morris was first arrested on September 20, 2012 after police officers from Hamburg, Lackawanna and Orchard Park executed a search warrant in Orchard Park. An unlicensed and loaded semi-automatic pistol and crack cocaine, which was packaged for sale, were seized during the raid. In response to police questioning, Morris admitted that the gun and drugs belonged to him and that he was selling the drugs to make money. Morris was arrested and arraigned, but posted bail.  

On February 14, 2013, Morris sold seventeen bags of crack cocaine in Lackawanna. A warrant was issued for Morris’s arrest. On February 27, 2013 Morris was arrested on the warrant and found to be in possession of crack cocaine, which was, shockingly, packaged for sale once more. Morris was arrested for that crime as well.

The case was successfully prosecuted by ADA Paul Williams. Morris faces a maximum prison term of 15 years when he is sentenced before Judge D’Amico on August 5, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.