Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 21-year-old Jerwan Stone, III, of Buffalo has been sentenced by State Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns to 30 days in the Erie County Correctional Facility followed by 5 years of probation. The defendant was sentenced on Thursday, May 30, 2019.

On October 30, 2017, at approximately 3 p.m., the defendant robbed a juvenile victim who was contacted through the app “OfferUp.” The victim went to Tremaine Avenue in the Village of Kenmore to sell jeans and a pair of sneakers to the defendant. The defendant allegedly grabbed the victim, punched him in the face, and stole the items.

Stone pleaded guilty one count of Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, a Class “D” felony, in March 2019.

“My office has seen an uptick in these types of crimes, and I encourage the public to be proactive about their safety when using these social marketplace apps,” said Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn. “I hope that the victim feels that justice has been served by this defendant being sentenced jail time, but also that it sends a message to the people of Erie County that these crimes will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted by my office.”

DA Flynn commends Detective Michael Wells of the Kenmore Police Department for his work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Rachel Kranitz McPhee and James Marra of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau.