Teen Pleads Guilty to Felony Charges After Being Arrested Eight Times for Vehicle Theft-Related Crimes

Modified: May 13, 2022 3:12pm

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5/13/2022

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 18-year-old Kahill J. Reeves of Buffalo pleaded guilty this morning before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to two counts of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree (Class “D” felonies), one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (Class “D” felony), four counts of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree (Class “E” felonies), and one count of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle in the Second Degree (Class “E” felony). The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest sustainable charge in each case against him.

The first crime occurred on December 31, 2021. The victim called 911 after seeing their vehicle being driven by unknown individual in the area of Doat Street and Bailey Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The vehicle had been reported stolen from the Town of Cheektowaga. At approximately 4:56 a.m., a Buffalo Police patrol officer saw the stolen vehicle being driven on Genesee Street and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The defendant refused to pull over and crashed into a parked car on Suffolk Street near LaSalle Avenue. The defendant was issued an appearance ticket.

The second crime occurred on January 11, 2022. At approximately 3:20 a.m., a Buffalo Police patrol officer observed the defendant driving a stolen vehicle on Keystone Avenue. The vehicle had been reported stolen from the Town of Cheektowaga. When the vehicle stopped, the defendant and the other occupants exited the stolen vehicle and attempted run away to evade arrest. The defendant was apprehended on Wex Street after a brief chase. He was issued an appearance ticket.

The third crime occurred on January 12, 2022. At approximately 10:01 p.m., a Buffalo Police patrol officer saw the defendant sitting in the driver’s seat of a stolen vehicle that was parked on East Amherst Street. The vehicle had been reported stolen the day before from a residence in Town of Tonawanda after the owner left the vehicle running without the key inside. The defendant was issued an appearance ticket.

The fourth crime occurred on January 20, 2022. At approximately 5:07 p.m., a Buffalo Police patrol officer saw the defendant driving a stolen vehicle on East Delavan Avenue near East End Avenue. The vehicle had been reported stolen from Town of Amherst the day before. When the officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the defendant drove off at a high-rate of speed through city streets. The force of the collision caused the vehicle driven by the defendant to flip over and totaled the other vehicle. The defendant was arrested and held pending his arraignment. After his arraignment, he was released on his own recognizance as the charges were non-qualifying offenses for bail.

The fifth crime occurred on February 1, 2022. At approximately 7:03 p.m., the defendant stole a vehicle that was parked outside of a residence in the Town of Tonawanda. The owner left the vehicle running in the driveway without the keys inside. The victim saw his vehicle being backed out of the driveway and ran after it. The defendants attempted to flee by obtaining a ride from a rideshare driver. Officers located the suspects, who matched the description provided by the victim, entering the rideshare driver’s vehicle, and placed them under arrest. The defendant was arraigned and released under supervision.

The 18-year-old male adolescent offender, who was 17-years-old at the time of the crime, was charged with one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. He is scheduled to return before Youth Part Judge Kelly Brinkworth on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 10:45 a.m.

The sixth crime occurred on February 7, 2022. At approximately 4:27 a.m., Buffalo Police officers saw the defendant and two co-defendants sleeping inside of a stolen vehicle that was parked on Colvin and Crescent Avenues. The vehicle had been reported stolen overnight from the Town of Tonawanda after the keys had been left inside. The defendant and the two co-defendants were charged and given an appearance ticket to be arraigned on Friday, February 25, 2022. The defendant failed to appear as the Court was notified that he was in custody in Niagara County.

One co-defendant was given an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. The other co-defendant pleaded guilty to one count of Disorderly Conduct (violation) on April 8, 2022.

The seventh crime occurred on February 17, 2022. At approximately 8:42 p.m., Buffalo Police officers responded to Cordova Avenue for the report of a suspicious vehicle. The officers found the defendant in possession of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle had been reported stolen from the Bailey-Kensington area without the key inside. The defendant was given an appearance ticket.

The eighth crime occurred on February 21, 2022. At approximately 2:47 a.m., Amherst Police were investigating the report of larcenies from parked vehicles in the area of Florence Lane and Glenhaven Drive. A patrol officer saw a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle, on East Summerset Lane. When the officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the defendant refused to pull over and sped off into Niagara County where he was apprehended. The defendant, who was in custody, was given an appearance ticket to be arraigned in Amherst Town Court.

While all of the charges were non-qualifying offenses for bail, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to request that Reeves be held without bail for committing additional felonies while being released for previous felony arrests. The judge granted the motion and revoked the defendant’s release.

Reeves faces a maximum of 36 years in prison when he is sentenced on Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. If sentenced as a youthful offender, he faces a maximum of 4 years in prison. He continues to remain held without bail.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department, Town of Tonawanda Police Department and Amherst Police Department for their work in these investigations.   

All of the cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nicholas C. Bussi of the Felony Trials Bureau.