Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announces that 31 year-old Douglas Anderson of 33 Durham Court in the City of Buffalo, pleaded guilty as charged to Attempted Robbery in the 3^rd Degree before Acting State Supreme Court Justice Russell Buscaglia. This is the highest charge for which Anderson could have been convicted of had he gone to trial. In other words, the defendant was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

On January 15, 2014 Anderson appeared at the school of his girlfriend’s daughter, claiming he was there to pick up the child.  The child was not present, however, as her grandparents had already retrieved her. Anderson then asked the child’s teacher for a ride to the home of the child’s grandparents. The teacher generously agreed. It was a decision she would later regret.

Anderson then asked the teacher whether she would mind stopping by his apartment to pick some food up for the grandparents. She agreed and was lured into the apartment under the ruse that Anderson needed assistance in carrying out the groceries.  Once inside, Anderson slammed the teacher to the floor, covered her mouth in an effort to muffle her screams, and attempted to steal her purse.  The teacher, now turned crime victim, resisted and was able to escape. The subsequent investigation, spearheaded by Buffalo Police Department Detective Bart Adams, determined there was neither a plan for Anderson to pick the child up from school nor to bring food to the grandparents. 

Public Defender Chrysanth Vergos criticized the District Attorney’s Office for refusing to plea bargain and for prosecuting the defendant to the fullest extent of the law, arguing Anderson should have been offered a misdemeanor because he “needs help.” It should be noted that Anderson is a prior violent felon. In a shocking coincidence, that prior violent felony conviction just so happens to be for robbery.

Anderson is remanded into custody, without bail, and faces up to four years in state prison when he is sentenced on July 31, 2014 Justice Buscaglia.

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick Shanahan, who is assigned to DA Sedita’s Felony Trial Bureau.