Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 20-year-old Joshua Hobes of Buffalo was sentenced today by Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to one year of jail on each charge for which he pled.  The sentences will run concurrently.

On May 3, the defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree, one count of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle in the Second Degree, one count of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle in the Third Degree, one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and one count of Identity Theft in the Second Degree.

On September 18, 2017, an Erie County Sheriff’s Deputy parked her Sheriff’s vehicle in her driveway in Depew overnight. The deputy reported the SUV stolen the next morning.

A few days later, Buffalo Police located the deputy’s SUV, a pursuit ensued and the driver fled. Evidence inside the SUV linked the defendant to the crime.

On October 22, 2017, at approximately 7 a.m., Erie County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Susan Drive in Clarence after a homeowner called, saying a man knocked on her door in an attempt to gain entry into the house. The deputies noticed that a vehicle at another home on the same street had its door open and appeared to have been rummaged through.

The deputies patrolled the surrounding streets and noticed a pickup parked, but running on Thornwood Lane. The driver who matched the description of the suspect claimed to be an employee of the company whose logo was on the side of the vehicle. It was determined that the truck had been stolen from an employee of the company who had the vehicle parked outside his home in the City of Buffalo earlier that morning. In the possession of the defendant, deputies found a paystub belonging to a resident of Susan Drive, a knife and $30 in bills and coins.

Sometime between January 30 and January 31, 2018, an individual or individuals entered Bishop Malone’s residence on Oakwood Place in the City of Buffalo through a backdoor. A coat belonging to a residing priest was taken, which contained keys to the Diocesan vehicle as well as credit cards issued to the priest and the Diocese of Buffalo. Surveillance video from various stores showed the defendant using the credit cards. The defendant was apprehended in the City of Rochester on February 1, 2018 while driving the Diocesan vehicle.

DA Flynn commends Buffalo Police Detective Sgt. Brian Mahoney and Detective Tony Fanara; Detective Brian O’Hara, and Deputies Robert Kolmetz and John Davis from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work on the case.

Assistant District Attorneys Rachel Kranitz McPhee and Rachel L. Newton of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau prosecuted the case.