Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 26-year-old Yassin A. Abdikadir of Buffalo pleaded guilty this morning before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (Class “C” felony). The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest charge in the indictment against him.

On Thursday, July 14, 2022, at approximately 11:53 p.m., the defendant stole a Buffalo Fire Department Engine 1 truck while firefighters were responding to an emergency medical services call in the area of Main and West Huron streets. A few minutes after the vehicle was reported stolen, Buffalo Police responded to a report of an abandoned fire truck on Delaware Avenue and Allen Street. The defendant hit three parked vehicles while unlawfully operating fire truck on city streets, resulting in damage to all three vehicles. Shortly after abandoning the fire truck, the defendant was found by police nearby, hiding inside of a garbage tote.

Abdikadir faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on Monday, April 24, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. He was released on his own recognizance pending sentence.

The defendant also has another pending criminal case for allegedly burglarizing a downtown restaurant. It is alleged that on Thursday, July 14, 2022, at approximately 2:29 a.m., the defendant unlawfully entered a restaurant on the 200 block of Ellicott Street in the City of Buffalo. The defendant is accused of breaking the lock of a storage cabinet, while unlawfully inside of the building, to steal bottles of alcohol. The defendant allegedly stole about 50 bottles of alcohol valued at approximately $2,000.

Abdikadir is scheduled to return on the burglary case before Buffalo City Court Judge Barbara Johnson-Lee, presiding judge of the Judicial Diversion Program, on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. for further proceedings.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department for their work in these investigations.

Both cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kevin R. Brown of the Felony Trials Bureau.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.