Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III announces that 21 year-old Deverick Petty has pleaded guilty as charged to Assault in the First Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, and Solicitation in the Fourth Degree before State Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns. These are the highest charges for which the defendant could have been convicted had he gone to trial. In other words, Petty did not receive a so-called “plea bargain” and was instead prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

On June 26, 2014 at 2:23 a.m., Petty shot at a man who was speaking with his girlfriend in front of an apartment building at the intersection of Allen and Mariner in the City of Buffalo.  Petty missed his intended target, the bullet instead striking an innocent bystander, Edwin Andino, who was standing in front of the Old Pink.  Andino suffered serious injuries including a collapsed lung and lacerated liver.  Buffalo Police searched the apartment building and found Petty and the loaded revolver used in the assault. 

Petty also admitted that he solicited his girlfriend to lie to the grand jury investigating the matter.  Petty encouraged his girlfriend to testify under oath that she “did not see anything” when in fact she observed him in possession of the gun after the shooting.     

Petty faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in state prison when he is sentenced on May 14, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. before Justice Burns. 

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney John Patrick Feroleto and Assistant District Attorney Sara Dee, both of whom are assigned to DA Sedita’s Tactical Prosecution Unit.