Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that a jury has found 29-year-old Syaf Ismael of Buffalo guilty, as charged, of one count of Aggravated Harassment, a Class “A” misdemeanor, and one count of Criminal Contempt in the First Degree, a Class “E” felony. The jury rendered their verdict after an hour of deliberations on Monday, September 23, following a four-day trial.

On October 17, 2018, at approximately 3:51 a.m., the defendant sent text messages to his estranged wife following a Family Court matter. The defendant texted the victim multiple times, claiming he was going to kill her. The victim contacted authorities and the defendant was arrested later that day. A No Contact Order of Protection was issued on behalf of the victim.

The defendant posted bail and was out of custody for only a few hours when, on October 19, 2018, at approximately 6:35 a.m., he began texting the victim again. The victim immediately contacted the police and the defendant was arrested again.

Ismael faces a maximum of 4 years in prison when he is sentenced by State Supreme Court Justice Deborah A. Haendiges on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. He remains remanded without bail.

DA Flynn commends Detective Jeff Banes of the Buffalo Police Department and Officer Marshal McGraw of the Orchard Park Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Timothy J. Garvin of the DA’s Domestic Violence Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Noha A. Elnakib of the DA’s  Felony Trials Bureau.