Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announced that 17 year-old Umar Graham pleaded guilty, as charged, to an indictment charging him with Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, before State Supreme Court Justice Penny M. Wolfgang.  These are the highest charges for which the defendant could have been convicted had he gone to trial.

Graham admitted that on June 8, 2013 on South Park Avenue in Buffalo, he attempted to shoot a 17 year-old woman. Graham pulled the trigger on his revolver at least four times but the weapon did not fire because Graham had loaded it with the wrong ammunition.

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Paul C. Parisi, a member of DA Sedita’s Tactical Prosecution Unit and Assistant District Attorney Danielle Soluri who is assigned to DA Sedita’s Felony Trial Bureau.  DA Sedita also credited Officers Joseph Acquino and Ian Baker of the Buffalo Police Department for their quick action in apprehending the armed defendant within minutes of the crime.

Graham faces a maximum state prison term of 25 years when he is sentenced on November 21, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. before Justice Wolfgang.