Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 20-year-old Jaylan Holliday of Buffalo was arraigned this morning before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan on an indictment charging him with one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felony) and one count of Menacing in the Second Degree (Class “A” misdemeanor).

It is alleged that on Thursday, March 3, 2022, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Buffalo Police officers responded to a home on Hempstead Avenue after receiving a 911 call. The defendant is accused of threatening the victim with a gun during an argument, which placed the victim in reasonable fear of injury or death. The officers allegedly found a loaded illegal handgun inside of a kitchen drawer.

A 16-year-old male co-defendant was also indicted for allegedly providing Holliday with the illegal gun that was used to threaten the victim. The adolescent offender was arraigned today before Judge Eagan on one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. He remains held at the Erie County Youth Services Center on $50,000 bail.  

District Attorney Flynn previously announced that Holliday and another co-defendant, a 17-year-old male, were virtually arraigned on an indictment in a separate criminal matter before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan on October 1, 2020.

On July 30, 2020, at approximately 10:53 p.m., the defendant and the adolescent offender, while acting in concert with one another, approached a woman who was sitting inside of her vehicle that was parked outside of a convenience store on Niagara Street in the City of Buffalo. The defendants opened the driver’s side door and demanded money from the victim. Holliday punched the victim in the face multiple times while displaying what appeared to be a firearm and forcibly stole the victim’s wallet.

The adolescent offender pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Robbery the First Degree (Class “C” violent felony) for his role in the crime. He was sentenced by Youth Part Judge Kevin Cater to a determinate sentence of 5 years in prison followed by 3 years of post-release supervision on January 21, 2021.

Holliday was also indicted for committing another crime shortly after the robbery on Niagara Street. On July 30, 2020, approximately 11:17 p.m., defendant drove to a gas station on Bailey Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The defendant approached the victim near the gas pump, displayed what appeared to be a gun, and demanded money. The defendant retreated after the victim displayed a knife in self-defense during the attempted robbery.

Holliday pleaded guilty to one count of Robbery in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felony) and one count of Attempted Robbery in the First Degree (Class “C” felony), the highest counts in the indictment against him for both crimes, on November 23, 2021. He was released after posting $75,000 bail. The matter remains pending before Judge Eagan.

Holliday is scheduled to return on both cases on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. He was held without bail on both files.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department for their work in these investigations.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Joelle M. Marino of the Community Prosecution and Training Unit.

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