Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 28-year-old Ayla L. Torres and 28-year-old Darren R. Sanders of Buffalo pleaded guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns to one count of Identity Theft in the Second Degree and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, both Class “E” non-violent felonies. Both pleaded guilty to the highest sustainable charges.

Between July and October 2019, Torres, while employed at a coffee shop on Maple Road in the Town of Amherst, took photos of the victims’ credit cards with her cell phone. The defendant sent photos of the credit cards to her boyfriend, Darren Sanders. Together, the couple purchased various household items, concert tickets, and take-out food with the stolen credit card information, resulting in approximately $3,366 in fraudulent purchases.

Torres is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. Sanders is scheduled to be sentencing on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. Both face a maximum sentence of 4 years in prison. They were released on their own recognizance.

DA Flynn commends Detective Julian Chinana, Officer Bradley Canzoneri and Officer Lori Martinez of the Amherst Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brian P. Dassero of the DA’s Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit.