Defendant Pleads Guilty for Possession of Illegal Gun Found During Shoplifting Arrest

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that 38-year-old Kevin Ricks of Buffalo pleaded guilty yesterday before State Supreme Court Justice Betty Calvo-Torres to one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class "C" violent felony) and one count of Petit Larceny (Class "A" misdemeanor). The defendant pleaded guilty to all counts in the indictment against him on the morning jury selection was scheduled to begin in his trial.

On Monday, February 7, 2022, at approximately 1:53 p.m., Cheektowaga Police officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at a store on the 2500 block of Walden Avenue. The officers approached the defendant, who matched the description of the suspect provided by the loss prevention officer, in the parking lot of the store. Officers found the defendant in possession of a cutting tool, plant food, and razors, which had been stolen from the store.

The defendant, who was on parole at the time of the incident, was transported to Cheektowaga Police headquarters where he was booked for the petit larceny charge. While conducting an inventory search of the vehicle for impound, officers found an illegal, loaded handgun inside of a backpack in the back seat of the vehicle. The weapon was submitted into evidence for further testing. The defendant was linked to the operable gun through DNA analysis.

Ricks faces a maximum of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. Prosecutors requested that the defendant be remanded pending sentence. He remains released on previously posted bail.

Acting DA Keane commends Detective Michael Strejewske,Detective James Genson, Officer Shane Rogers and Officer Christian Wachowiak of the Cheektowaga Police Department for their work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kevin R. Brown and Stephen C. Papia of the Felony Trials Bureau.