Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 44-year-old Michael Hurst of Buffalo has been sentenced by State Supreme Court Justice John L. Michalski to a determinate sentence of 20 years in prison followed by 20 years of post-release supervision. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.

On April 16, 2018, at approximately 10 p.m., the defendant engaged in sexual intercourse and sexual conduct with an adult female victim by forcible compulsion multiple times at a location on the West Side in the City of Buffalo. Following the sexual assault, the defendant, who was known to the victim, stole her two cell phones and a pocket knife.

On April 19, 2019, the defendant intentionally disobeyed the lawful mandate of a court by violating the order of protection by making a phone call from the Erie County Holding Center to a third party in an attempt to contact the victim and to deter her from coming to court and providing testimony.

In June 2019, a jury found Hurst guilty, as charged, on the following counts after a one week trial:

• Three counts of Rape in the First Degree, Class “B” violent felonies
• Two counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, Class “B” violent felonies
• One count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a Class “D” violent felony
• One count of Robbery in the Third Degree, a Class “D” felony
• One count of Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree, a Class “A” misdemeanor

DA Flynn commends Detective Julie Ledwin of the Buffalo Police Department Sex Offense Squad for her work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Cathleen M. Roemer of the DA’s Special Victims Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Ryan D. Haggerty of the DA’s Tactical Prosecution Unit.