West Seneca Rite Aid Robber Prosecuted To The Fullest Extent Of The Law

Modified: April 5, 2016 8:40pm

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4/4/2016

Acting Erie County District Attorney, Michael J. Flaherty, Jr., announced that 35-year-old James Crawley has pleaded guilty as charged to one count of Robbery in the First Degree before the Honorable Thomas P. Franczyk. The defendant pleaded to the highest sustainable charge for which he could have been convicted had he gone to trial. 

On September 6, 2016, the defendant displayed what appeared to be a long nose black pistol, pointed said pistol at two Rite Aid employees, and stole $123.00 from the register at the Rite Aid located at 798 Harlem Road, West Seneca. 

Detectives Dan Crowe and Ken Morano of the West Seneca Police Department commenced a criminal investigation into the incident and retrieved surveillance video from the Rite Aid depicting the suspect engaged in the robbery. 

A still-frame photo depicting the suspect was taken from that footage and sent to Channel 4 News to display during the evening news in order to enlist public aid in determining the defendant’s identity. Shortly after the footage aired, the suspect was identified by a viewer as Crawley. A warrant was issued for the defendant’s arrest and he was apprehended 8 days later.  

Crawley was remanded into custody and will be sentenced on May 11, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. by Judge Franczyk for these crimes, where he faces up to 25 years in state prison. 

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jeremy V. Murray.