Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 23-year-old Decarrio Sanders of Lackawanna pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to one count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class “B” felony, and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class “C” felony. The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest charge in the indictment against him.

On May 3, 2018, at approximately 8 p.m., the defendant shot a man with a shortened, double-barreled shotgun on Smith Street in the City of Buffalo. The victim suffered a gunshot wound to his forearm, resulting in a permanent disability in his left hand.

Buffalo Police officers responded to the scene and located the defendant nearby. The shotgun was found a short time later hidden in the brush on Smith Street.

Sanders, a prior violent felony offender, faces a maximum of 25 years in prison when he is sentenced on Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.

DA Flynn commends Officers Judith Bigelow, Virgilio Gonzalez and Michael Moore as well as Detective James McMahon of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan D. Haggerty of the DA’s Tactical Prosecution Unit and Assistant District Attorney Sean B. Bunny of the DA’s Justice Courts.