A man who was shot by an off-duty Niagara Falls Police Department officer during the theft of their car in Buffalo was sentenced on Wednesday.
Dorian D. Jones, 20, of Buffalo, was sentenced before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case and received a determinate sentence of 5 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.
On Jan. 9, at about 6 p.m., Jones displayed what appeared to be a handgun and forcibly stole a vehicle from the adult victim and his two children on Cheltenham Drive in the City of Buffalo. The victim, a police officer with the Niagara Falls Police Department who was off duty at the time of the incident, fired shots at Jones during the carjacking. Jones fled while one juvenile victim was inside of the vehicle.
He was located by police a short distance away on Delaware Avenue. He was taken by ambulance to Erie County Medical Center where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The child was found unharmed in the same area.
Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree robbery (Class “C” violent felonies) and one count of second-degree menacing (Class “A” misdemeanor). He pleaded guilty to the highest sustainable charges on April 9, Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane said.
Jones committed the robbery while pending sentence after pleading guilty to charges in three separate incidents involving stolen vehicles. On Oct. 30, 2024, Jones pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property (Class “E” felony) and two counts of third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (Class “A” misdemeanors). Jones was scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27 and released under supervision after the plea. He was taken into custody and held without bail following the Jan. 9 incident.
Keane commended Detective Joe Bonner and the Buffalo Police Department for their work in these investigations.