Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 22-year-old Curtis N. Hathcock, Jr. of Cheektowaga was sentenced this morning by Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to a determinate sentence of 3 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. He was sentenced today as a second felony offender.

On August 7, 2020, at approximately 7:53 p.m., Buffalo Police officers were dispatched to investigate a report of shots fired in the vicinity of Hertel and Virgil Avenues. The officers observed the defendant exit a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle provided by the 911 caller. When the officers approached, the defendant ran southbound on Virgil Avenue where he was quickly apprehended. Officers obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and recovered an illegal, loaded pistol.

Hathcock pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “D” felony) on January 28, 2021.

DA Flynn commends Officers Justin Ayala and Nicholas Yant as well as Detectives Zachary Burgess and Thomas Starkey of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan M. Flaherty of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau.