Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 29-year-old Justin Arnold of Buffalo pleaded guilty to 12 charges, which include: one count of Robbery in the First Degree, three counts of Attempted Robbery in the First Degree, one count of Robbery in the Second Degree, five counts of Robbery in the Third Degree and two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree.

Between February 15 and February 21, 2018, the defendant, while claiming to be in possession of a gun or armed with a knife, committed a total of 12 robberies at various convenience and cell phone stores in Amherst, Buffalo, Cheektowaga and Town of Tonawanda.

During one robbery, the defendant punched a store clerk in the face and shoved him to the ground, causing the victim to break his ankle. During two robberies, the defendant held a knife to the clerk’s neck or face. In more than one incident, a clerk was either grabbed or pushed by the defendant.

In addition to the robberies, the defendant stole a credit card from a family member, which he used to make purchases at Walmart and a grocery store.

Arnold, who has a prior felony conviction, faces between 8 - 128 years in prison when he is sentenced by Justice Michalski on Tuesday, June 5 at 9:30 a.m. 

“This prosecution of this violent offender was made possible through a multi-agency investigative effort by police departments in Amherst, Cheektowaga, Town of Tonawanda and the City of Buffalo,” said DA Flynn. “I commend these agencies on working together to get this dangerous person off of our streets.”

DA Flynn would like to recognize Detective Leising of the Amherst Police Department, Detective Turnbull of the Cheektowaga Police Department, Detective Sergeant Amy Frankel and Detective Sergeant Tom McCarty of the Buffalo Police Department and Detective Falsone of the Town of Tonawanda Police Department for their work in this investigation.

Assistant District Attorney Amy Beatrice Benedict of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau prosecuted the case.