BUFFALO, N.Y. — A 19-year-old was granted youthful offender (YO) status in addition to being sentenced to jail time for two separated incidents last fall.
In the first incident, on October 15, 2020, the teen admitted intentionally spray painting racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic graffiti on his SUV while it was parked on Saranac Avenue. He also poured a substance, believed to be sugar, into the gas tank. After vandalizing his own vehicle, the YO intentionally filed a false insurance claim.
Then on October 24, he was stopped by Buffalo Police for a traffic infraction and was found to be driving without a license. At the time, police also found the teen in possession of two loaded, illegal firearms.
The teen pleaded guilty in September to one count of Insurance Fraud and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon, all felonies. Judge Case sentenced him to an indeterminate period of one and one third to four years behind bars in state prison.
