(WNY News Now) – Yasir S. Creach becomes the first person in Erie County convicted under New York’s new law protecting judges from harassment.
Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced that Yasir S. Creach, 44, of Buffalo, was sentenced to 1½ to 3 years in state prison for sending a threatening letter to a Cheektowaga Town Court Justice while serving a jail sentence.
The sentencing took place before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio. Creach, a second felony offender, was incarcerated at the Erie County Correctional Facility at the time of the offense.
The threat was received by the judge on February 24, 2025, shortly after the defendant had been sentenced to 90 days in jail for Attempted Petit Larceny, a Class B misdemeanor. Prosecutors say the letter was sent with the intent to harass and caused the victim and their family to fear for their safety.
Creach pleaded guilty on April 8, 2025, to one count of Aggravated Harassment of a Judge, a Class E felony. His plea represented the highest sustainable charge in the case. A final order of protection was issued for the judge, which will remain in effect until May 2033.
This case marks the first conviction under New York Penal Law §240.33—Aggravated Harassment of a Judge—in Erie County. The statute, which took effect on July 19, 2024, makes it a felony to engage in threatening behavior toward a judge or their immediate family with the intent to harass, knowing it could place them in reasonable fear of harm. The law was enacted as part of the 2024–2025 state budget to enhance judicial safety.
District Attorney Keane praised the Cheektowaga Police Department for their swift and thorough investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Megan E. Mahoney of the Felony Trials Bureau.
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