Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 20-year-old Joseph Lopez of Buffalo has been sentenced by State Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns to a determinate sentence of 14 years in prison followed by 10 years of post-release supervision. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.

The defendant admitted to attempting to sexually abuse two young victims between the summer of 2013 and spring of 2016.

In June 2018, the defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of Attempted Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree.

DA Flynn commends the investigative work of the following members of law enforcement:  Detective Emily Nelson Gerken and Detective Christian Parisi of the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Town of Eden Officer Nicholas Blasz, and United States Marshal James Bona.  DA Flynn also recognizes the work of CPS worker Michael Kessler and the multi-disciplinary team of the Child Advocacy Center.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Bethany A. Solek of the DA’s Special Victims Bureau.