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March 30, 2026

An Albion man Norman Kelly, 69, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for receipt of child pornography, the United States Attorney’s Office said Monday.

Western NY Observer
March 28, 2026

A young entrepreneur from Italy faces federal fraud charges in Buffalo, accused by the FBI of providing the payment infrastructure for cybercriminals to sell millions of stolen passwords and compromised email addresses.

Western NY Observer
March 26, 2026

Kristina Eaves became the second defendant to plead guilty over what prosecutors have described as a massive extortion scheme targeting men who responded to online ads offering sex with women for money.

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March 24, 2026

57-year-old Claude T. Tortora formerly from Amherst was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for predatory sexual assault against a child between 2013 and 2018

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March 18, 2026

Families speak out on alleged abuse at Lackawanna learning center

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March 17, 2026

A new court ruling has allowed a philosophy professor’s lawsuit against SUNY Fredonia to proceed, four years after administrators removed him from the classroom and barred him from campus after his controversial podcast remarks about adult-child sex.

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March 15, 2026

In a stipulation approved last month by State Supreme Court Justice Deborah A. Chimes, the town agreed to cut the assessed value of the four properties that constitute the Roycroft by 85%, from $1.48 million to $210,000.

Western NY Observer
March 13, 2026

A Chad Campbell convicted of murdering a 15-year-old and a 1-year-old in the Rochester area in 1990 is being released on parole in Erie County.The Erie County Sheriff’s Office called the decision “appalling.”

Western NY Observer
March 12, 2026

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced a Tonawanda man faces up to 930 years in prison for over 30 child pornography-related charges.

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March 11, 2026

North Tonawanda City Attorney Edward Zebulske was arrested in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, according to a police report obtained by 7 News.

Western NY Observer
March 11, 2026

A federal judge on Tuesday ruled the trial of mass shooter Payton Gendron will happen in Buffalo.

Western NY Observer
March 10, 2026

A Jamestown man could be sentenced to life in prison and face a $5 million fine after pleading guilty to a 2023 kidnapping, the United States Attorney’s Office said Monday.

Western NY Observer
March 9, 2026

A federal judge has ruled that jurors had enough evidence to convict strip club owner Peter Gerace Jr. of bribery and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and other that could send him to prison for the rest of his life.

Western NY Observer
March 7, 2026

A prosecutor called Jeffrey C. Fleischer, the accused ringleader of a $1.3 million stolen-check scheme, a master at creating false identifications and warned he would flee if not detained as his federal case proceeds.

Western NY Observer
March 7, 2026

With his plea in federal court, Brian Aveny Smith became the 14th person convicted of pandemic fraud in Buffalo, accounting for nearly $7 million worth of fraud.

Western NY Observer
March 7, 2026

17 Child Victims Act cases that a federal bankruptcy judge allowed in 2024 to move forward in state court against the Buffalo Diocese are now on hold again, as a $325 million diocese plan to settle nearly 900 sex abuse claims continues to come together.

Western NY Observer
March 6, 2026

An audit of Erie County’s public defender program conducted by the comptroller’s office found major cost increases since 2022 and excessive caseloads among county attorneys which led to high attorney work hours

Western NY Observer
March 4, 2026

Immigration business owner says he’s left the country as Buffalo Community protests ‘law’ office

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April 18, 2025

Multiple lawsuits filed against People Inc., alleging negligence and abuse

Western NY Observer
April 15, 2025

Elma man Matthew Steele, 53, admits to production of child pornography involving prepubescent minor

Western NY Observer
March 29, 2025

Greenman takes Niagara County public defender job after complaints made by a female employee that a few lawyers in the office occasionally drank excessively during lunch hours, submitted inaccurate time sheets and made inappropriate remarks, investigation cause leadership change

Western NY Observer
March 29, 2025

‘This is a bipartisan issue’: Lawmakers push for changes to address human trafficking in New York

Western NY Observer
March 10, 2025

Judge Kevin Carter was removed from his post as Western New York’s chief administrative judge with no explanation from state officials.

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March 6, 2025

Assistant District Attorney John Feroleto appointed to City Court bench

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March 5, 2025

Defense attorneys who sought to prevent The Buffalo News from publishing information about a murder case failed to meet their legal burden, Judge Brenda Freedman ruled.

Western NY Observer
March 5, 2025

Michael DiGiacomo appointed U.S. Attorney for Western New York district

Western NY Observer
February 20, 2025

Orchard Park man, Edward Tutuska, convicted for sexually abusing two minors

Western NY Observer
February 19, 2025

Western New York Medical P.C. agreed to pay $251,477 to resolve allegations that it submitted improper Medicare billing, the United States Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.

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February 18, 2025

New York’s ethics watchdog ruled constitutional by state’s top court

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February 16, 2025

Former Christ the King Seminary sale is complete. Money from the sale will help fund a settlement for the nearly 900 people who say they were sexually abused as children by employees of the diocese.

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February 13, 2025

‘It’s not working’: Does New York State need to make more changes to bail reform?

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February 12, 2025

New simplified divorce process open in NYS

Western NY Observer
February 7, 2025

A Lackawanna judge Louis Violanti resigned for the second time in the aftermath of a fraud proceeding to have a friend’s traffic ticket dismissed.

Western NY Observer
February 4, 2025

Jamestown woman Jasmin Osteen, 27, sentenced to 12 years for sex trafficking of minor

Western NY Observer
February 3, 2025

Dunkirk man, Augusto Mateo Francisco, 33 pleads guilty to trafficking, kidnapping.

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January 29, 2025

Arcade woman Anna Holland, 38, pleads guilty to third-degree rape

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January 29, 2025

Canadian border patrol catches person jumping off moving train in Fort Erie who was deemed inadmissible to enter Canada and was returned to the United States.

Western NY Observer
January 26, 2025

A Capitol rioter from Amherst thanked Trump for his prison release, but Jan. 6 pardons have come with pushback from judges dismissing charges for other defendants.

Western NY Observer
December 26, 2024

Assemblyman Patrick Burke asks Biden to pardon Lackawanna man

Western NY Observer
December 23, 2024

Gov. Kathy Hochul has vetoed the latest version of a bill to expand the state’s wrongful death statute, the third time she has rejected the piece of legislation.

Western NY Observer
December 20, 2024

Independent Health has agreed to pay up to $98 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly submitted invalid diagnosis codes in order to receive increased payments from Medicare.

Western NY Observer
December 12, 2024

Yemeni American woman says her family held her against her will and tried to force her into an arranged marriage.

Western NY Observer
December 12, 2024

New: A state Supreme Court in Albany County has issued an injunction ordering @nys_cannabis to not issue any more CAURD or provisional retail licenses to applicants.

Western NY Observer
December 10, 2024

A onetime aide to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has voluntarily dismissed a federal lawsuit she had filed against him and several of his aides two years ago alleging he sexually harassed her and then smeared her reputation.

Western NY Observer
December 9, 2024

City Court Judge Andrew C. LoTempio will be recognized for his “courageous efforts to prioritize integrity, justice and fairness” in the jury selection system, a bar association official told The Buffalo News on Thursday.

Western NY Observer
December 6, 2024

Buffalo man gets 2 years in prison for having around 28,000 images of child pornography

Western NY Observer
November 29, 2024

‘What happened to me was horrible’: Survivor of alleged sex abuse wants Catholic Diocese held accountable

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November 26, 2024

N.Y. households paying second highest tort costs

Western NY Observer
November 25, 2024

Hochul signs bills to expand protections in domestic violence cases to include all family and household members

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November 21, 2024

Over $9M approved by City of Buffalo for legal settlements

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November 21, 2024

Erie County Sheriff reviewing options following a $700M cost estimate for a new jail

Western NY Observer
November 21, 2024

Pete Gallivan shares his story of surviving clergy sex abuse

Western NY Observer
November 20, 2024

Buffalo man Rashaun Crule charged with selling fentanyl resulting in 2 deaths

Western NY Observer
November 18, 2024

Lockport man, 52-year-old Gerard Dzierzanowski faces child pornography charges

Western NY Observer
November 15, 2024

25-year-old Cora Waddington, Falconer woman pleads guilty to sex trafficking charge

Western NY Observer
November 14, 2024

On Monday night, 40-year-old Terrence Wyatt was killed after a man struck him with a car on Delaware Street in the city of Tonawanda. Now, his family is calling for justice.

Western NY Observer
November 8, 2024

Man sentenced by Judge Andrew LoTempio to only 5 years for fatal arson that killed girlfriend’s mother over a month after sustaining burns and smoke inhalation. The victims family requested the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Western NY Observer
November 8, 2024

Trump’s election could increase likelihood Buffalo Tops mass supermarket shooter Payton Gendron is executed

Western NY Observer
November 6, 2024

Trial begins against Cheektowaga strip club owner Peter Gerace Jr. who is facing charges of sex and cocaine trafficking, bribing a public official and tampering with a witness.

Western NY Observer
November 2, 2024

NY AG’s lawsuit against PepsiCo/Frito Lay in which she sought to hold the food and beverage giant responsible for plastic pollution accumulated in the Buffalo River is dismissed by judge.

Western NY Observer
September 27, 2024

Supreme Court refuses to order New York to include RFK Jr. on the presidential ballot

Western NY Observer
September 25, 2024

The award for the family of a man beaten to death by deputies at the Erie County Holding Center in 2012 has been dramatically lowered by Judge Mark Grisanti. A$100 million reward by a jury was lowered to a $20 million award after the original award was found to be “excessive.”

Western NY Observer
September 25, 2024

As negotiations stall, judge weighs letting sex abuse lawsuits against Buffalo Diocese parishes moveahead. The diocese and its parishes were doing everything they could to come up with enough money for a settlement, including downsizing its properties.

Western NY Observer

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