Buffalo man sentenced to 7 years for shoplifting, criminal possession

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A Buffalo man was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision for criminal possession of a weapon and petit larceny, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced.

Cheektowaga Police responded to a shoplifting complaint at a store on the 2500 block of Walden Avenue around 1:53 p.m. Feb. 7, 2022. Officials said 39-year-old Kevin Ricks was found in possession of a stolen cutting tool, plant food and razors in the parking lot of the store.

Ricks, who was on parole at the time of the incident, was then transported to Cheektowaga Police headquarters. While conducting an inventory search of the vehicle, officers found an illegal, loaded handgun inside of a backpack in the back seat, which was linked to Ricks through DNA analysis, officials said.

He pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and one count of petit larceny in April 2024.