Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 39-year-old Daniel W. Syracuse of Town of Tonawanda was sentenced this morning before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to 364 days in jail.

The defendant admitted that he knowingly acted in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare a child who was less than 17-year-old by exchanging sexually explicit messages and images with a juvenile in 2015. The defendant, who was working as a track coach at Williamsville South High School at the time of the crime, conducted the communication through a social media application.

Syracuse pleaded guilty to one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class “A” misdemeanor) on July 8, 2022. As part of the plea, the defendant surrendered his New York State teaching licenses.

Today, Judge Eagan issued a final order of protection on behalf of the victim, which remains in effect for five years.

DA Flynn commends Detective Ronald Smith, Detective Daniel Quinlan, Detective Edward Solak, and Detective Daniel McCollum of the Amherst Police Department for their work in this investigation.   

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Meredith M. Mohun of the Special Victims/Domestic Violence Bureau.