Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 26-year-old Brandon Williams, also known as Branden Williams, of Amherst pleaded guilty this morning to two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felonies). The defendant pleaded guilty to all charges in the indictment against him before jury selection was scheduled to begin in his upcoming trial on Monday morning.

On September 15, 2020, at approximately 6:57 p.m., the victim called 911 to report that a man was threatening her with a gun and trying to steal items from her home on the Lower West Side in the City of Buffalo. At approximately 7:03 p.m., as responding Buffalo Police officers encountered the defendant outside near the side entrance of the home, they heard a racking of a gun and ordered the defendant to drop the weapon. The defendant dropped the guns then immediately jumped a fence and ran through backyards in an attempt to evade arrest.

At approximately 7:07 p.m., a police lieutenant was responding to assist when he saw the defendant, who matched the description of the suspect, walking a short distance away from the initial call in the vicinity of Hudson and 7^th Streets. The defendant was taken into custody without incident.

Both weapons were recovered from outside of the victim’s home. The defendant, who was on parole at the time of the crime, was linked to the illegal pistol through DNA analysis. The illegal loaded revolver was found on the ground next to the illegal pistol.

Williams faces a maximum of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced as a second violent felony offender before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case on Thursday, April 7, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. He continues to remain held without bail.

DA Flynn commends Detective Christopher Gerace, Lieutenant John Beyer, Officers Peter Goretti and Jordan Burke of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Samantha King and Nicholas Bussi of the Felony Trials Bureau.