Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 40-year-old Johnathan J. Rzoska of Williamsville was arraigned on Friday afternoon before Amherst Town Court Justice Kara Buscaglia on one count of Criminal Contempt in the First Degree (Class “E” felony), one count of Tampering with a Witness in the Third Degree (Class “E” felony) and one count of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree (Class “A” misdemeanor).

It is alleged that on the morning of Friday, December 16, 2022, the victim reported to Amherst Police that he had received a threatening text message from the defendant, which placed him in reasonable fear. The defendant allegedly sent the text message to the victim while knowingly in violation of an existing order of protection. The defendant, who was scheduled to appear in court, was taken into custody a short time later after he entered the parking lot of the Williamsville Village Court building.

Rzoska is scheduled to return on Thursday, December 22, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. for a felony hearing. He was held without bail.

The defendant was scheduled to appear in Williamsville Village Court on Friday morning for further proceedings in a pending criminal matter. Rzoska was arraigned before Williamsville Village Court Justice Jeffrey Voekl on one count of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree (Class “A” misdemeanor) and one count of Harassment in the Second Degree (violation) on October 14, 2022.

It is alleged that on August 30, 2022, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the defendant ran toward his landlord while making threats. The alleged incident occurred outside of the defendant’s residence on Cadman Drive in the Village of Williamsville.

It is further alleged that on September 6, 2022, at approximately 3:41 p.m., the defendant sent a threatening text message to his landlord, which placed the victim in reasonable fear. A temporary order of protection was issued for the victim and his family.  

The defendant is also a person of interest in an active, ongoing investigation into reported threats toward two courthouses. On Friday, December 16, 2022, at approximately 8:25 a.m., Central Police Services received a phone call from a person who allegedly threatened to blow up the Erie County Court building and the Williamsville Village Court building. Both buildings were subsequently evacuated and searched by police.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nicholas C. Bussi of the Felony Trials Bureau.

DA Flynn commends the Amherst Police Department for their work in these investigations as well as the Erie County Sheriff’s Office and NFTA Police K9 Units.

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