Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 41-year-old Latoya M. Austin and 29-year-old Ayesha Patterson, both of Buffalo, have been sentenced today by Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns.  Austin was sentenced to 6 ½ years in state prison and 2 ½ years of post-release supervision and Patterson was sentenced to 5 years in state prison and 2 ½ years post-release supervision. 

On Wednesday, January 1, 2020, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the defendants admitted to throwing multiple bottles that contained gasoline with an ignited wick into the lower level of a multi-family home on Breckenridge Street in the City of Buffalo. The incident occurred after the defendants were involved in a domestic dispute with one of the residents of the home.

Their actions caused a fire in the house, which displaced six residents. Three children were taken to Oishei Children’s Hospital for evaluation as well as one police officer who went to ECMC to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Austin pleaded guilty to one count of Arson in the Second Degree, a Class “B” felony, on July 28, 2020. Patterson pleaded guilty to the same charge on February 19, 2020.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department and the Buffalo Fire Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Nathanael C. Kapperman and James M. Marra of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau.