Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 55-year-old Joseph Conti of Buffalo pleaded guilty to one count of Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree, a Class “A” misdemeanor. The defendant pleaded guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Deborah A. Haendiges on Monday, December 9, 2019.

The defendant admitted that on June 23, 2019, at approximately 9:50 a.m., he blocked the driver side door of his estranged wife’s vehicle with his body, which essentially prevented her from attending services at a church on Gold Street in the City of Buffalo. When Conti refused to leave, the victim became fearful and drove away in her vehicle. The defendant knowingly violated a non-offensive conduct order of protection.

At the time of the incident, Conti was on probation after pleading guilty to one count of Criminally Negligent Homicide for causing a fire in his home in January 2018 that resulted in the death of his son.

Conti faces a maximum of 1 year in jail when he is sentenced on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. He remains in custody pending sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher H. Gresham of the DA’s Buffalo City Court Bureau.