Modified: November 1, 2013 10:20am
Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announced that 48 year- old Brian Humphrey, pleaded guilty as charged, to five counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree (commonly known as commercial burglary) before Erie County Court Judge Thomas P. Franczyk. These are the highest charges for which Humphrey could have been convicted had he gone to trial. All of the burglaries involved downtown Buffalo office buildings in the spring and early summer of this year.
Humphrey committed the following burglaries: March 8, 2013 at a Main St. software consulting company, where a receptionist’s purse was stolen;
May 28, 2013 at a Franklin Street law office, where an attorney’s laptop computer was stolen; May 30, 2013 at a Delaware Ave. law office, where a paralegal’s purse was stolen; June 3, 2013 at a Niagara Square law office, where the laptop computers of two attorneys were stolen; and, June 5, 2013 at a Main St. advertising agency where a jar of loose change was stolen.
The cases were successfully prosecuted by ADA Patrick B. Shanahan. DA Sedita also recognized the investigative efforts of Buffalo Police Department Detectives Timothy Rooney, John Paradowski and Sean Buth, stating: “Because of their diligence, another chronic thief has been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and is heading back to state prison.”
Humphrey, a prior convicted felon who was on parole when he committed these burglaries, faces up to 35 years in prison when sentenced by Judge Franczyk on November 1, 2013.
DA Sedita also announced that 23 year-old Brandon Longo of 6080 Sheridan Drive, Amherst, NY pleaded guilty to Burglary in the 2nd Degree (commonly known as residential burglary) before Erie County Court Judge Michael Pietruszka. This is the highest charge the defendant could have convicted of had he gone to trial.
Longo admitted to burglarizing an Amherst residence on June 14, 2013. Longo gained entrance through a garage door and, once inside, stole silver ware, video games, and other small objects. The defendant also caused water damage by unsuccessfully attempting to remove copper pipes from the residence. Ironically, Longo was awaiting sentence in connection with two previous residential burglary convictions when he committed the June 14th burglary (on April 4, 2013, Longo pleaded guilty to two counts of Attempted Burglary in the 2nd Degree in connection with break-ins occurring on December 14, 2012 and December 16, 2012).
All of the foregoing cases were successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brian Langenfeld. DA Sedita also praised the investigation conducted by the Amherst Police Department, taking particular note of the efforts of Detectives David Kubiak and Kathy Onions.
Longo has been in custody since his latest arrest and faces up to 29 years in state prison when sentenced by Judge Pietruszka on October 23, 2013.