Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announced that 26 year old Antoine Garner pleaded guilty today before County Court Judge Kenneth F. Case, as charged, under two separate indictments charging him with several felonies.

Under one indictment, Garner pleaded guilty as charged to three counts of Rape in the Third Degree and three counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree. These are the highest charges for which Garner could have been convicted had he gone to trial. Garner admitted that between December, 2008 and January 2009, he raped and sodomized a sixteen year old juvenile, impregnating her. This case was successfully prosecuted by ADA Rosanne Johnson, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau in the Erie County District Attorney’s Office. Garner faces up to 4 years in state prison when sentenced for these crimes.

Under another indictment, Garner pleaded guilty as charged to two counts of Robbery in the First Degree and two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree. These are the highest charges for which Garner could have been convicted had he gone to trial. Garner admitted that on July 2, 2011, he orchestrated and led a home invasion in the Town of Clarence. Money and jewelry were stolen as the victim was terrorized in her home at gunpoint.  This case was successfully prosecuted by ADA Brian McNamara, Chief of the Felony Trial Bureau in the Erie County District Attorney’s Office. Garner faces up to 25 years in state prison when sentenced for these crimes.

Garner was also recently convicted, as charged, of Strangulation in Second Degree and Assault in the Third Degree by an Erie County trial jury. These charges stemmed from a June 26, 2011 attack upon a woman in the City of Buffalo. This case was successfully prosecuted by ADA Christopher Belling, Chief Trial Counsel in the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, as well as ADA Johnson. Garner faces up to 7 years in state prison when sentenced for these crimes.

DA Sedita praised his prosecution team for their diligent efforts in successfully prosecuting Garner. DA Sedita also praised the investigative work of Erie County Sheriff’s Department Detective Dan Brinkerhoff, Buffalo Police Department Detective James Kaska and Buffalo Police Department Detective Kim Tomassi, adding: “When a criminal investigation provides the District Attorney’s Office with enough evidence to prove that a crime was committed and provides the District Attorney’s with enough evidence to prove who committed that crime, we will aggressively prosecute the offender. In all of these cases, Mr. Garner was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Garner remains in the custody of the Erie County Sheriff pending his May 14, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. sentencing before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth F. Case.