Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr. announces that 55-year old Leland Burks has been arraigned before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth F. Case on an indictment charging him with two counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree.

It is alleged that in early 2015, Burks used stolen credit card numbers to purchase tickets to the April 17, 2015 Kevin Hart performance at the First Niagara Center.  During the same time period, Burks posed as a member of Kevin Hart's entourage and booked hotel rooms in the city of Buffalo, which were also paid with stolen credit card numbers.  In total, Burks received approximately $12,710.20 in fraudulently obtained goods and services. 

Burks had to be extradited from the state of Alabama, where he just finished serving a sentence. 

Burks pleaded not guilty at arraignment and was remanded to jail.

If convicted of these charges, he faces a mandatory state prison sentence, the maximum of which is 7-14 years.DA Flaherty commends Buffalo Police Department Detective Timothy Rooney for his investigative work in the case.

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

Assistant District Attorney Gary M. Ertel is prosecuting the case.