(WNY News Now) – A 24-year-old Buffalo resident, pleaded guilty today to kidnapping in the second degree, a Class B felony, before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller. The plea stems from a harrowing incident in the Town of Cheektowaga on March 2, 2024, where the defendant abducted a woman who was exiting her vehicle.
The victim was attacked in her driveway during the early morning hours. Gebrehawaria, who did not know the victim, dragged her into his vehicle parked nearby and drove off. In a desperate bid to escape, the victim grabbed the steering wheel, causing the vehicle to swerve onto the curb of George Urban Boulevard. This brave act enabled her to flee and subsequently report the kidnapping to the police.
Abel Gebrehawaria, who is currently out on a $250,000 bond, will be sentenced on August 23, 2024. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane praised the efforts of Chief Brian Coons, Lt. Justin Haag, Detective Eric Derby, and the entire Cheektowaga Police Department for their roles in the investigation. The prosecution team included Assistant District Attorney Daniel J. Mattle from the Special Victims/Domestic Violence Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Mitchell C. Boughton from the Justice Courts Bureau.
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