The Buffalo teen accused of carjacking a vehicle owned by a Falls police officer was out of custody, pending sentencing, for convictions in three previous stolen car cases.
Erie County prosecutors said Dorian Jones, 19, of Buffalo, was placed on supervised release while he awaited sentencing, set for Jan. 27, on charges stemming from three separate earlier incidents involving stolen vehicles. He had pleaded guilty in October to one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and two counts of third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Prosecutors asked Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to revoke the supervised release, claiming that Jones committed a felony “involving harm to an identifiable person or property” while he was free pending his sentencing on a felony charge. Late Monday, Case revoked the supervised release and ordered Jones held without bail.
Jones also pleaded not guilty at a Saturday morning arraignment to two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the carjacking of the Falls officer’s 2010 Mercedes.
Buffalo City Court Judge Tiffany R. Perry set bail in that case at $80,000 cash or bond.
The Monday county court order overrides the city court bail determination.
Jones faces a felony hearing in the carjacking case on Jan. 16. If convicted of the highest charge in that case, Jones would face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Buffalo police are continuing their investigation of the Thursday carjacking. The Falls Police officer will not face an administrative review and will remain on active duty because investigators said he was a “crime victim during the incident.”
The officer, who has not been identified by either Falls or Buffalo police, was off duty with two teenagers when the incident happened about 6 p.m. near the intersection of Delaware and Hertel avenues in north Buffalo.
According to Buffalo police, Jones displayed a handgun while stealing the Falls officer’s vehicle. The officer was reportedly outside of his vehicle with a 15-year-old but a 13-year-old was still in the car.
Police said that as Jones jumped into the Mercedes, the Falls officer fired multiple shots at him, striking him once in the shoulder area. Jones was able to drive away in the vehicle, while the 13-year-old was able to escape from the car near where the incident took place.
Buffalo police said they found the teen unharmed.
Jones was located a short time later on Wilbury Place in Buffalo. Police said he was found suffering from non-life-threatening wounds and was taken to the Erie County Medical Center for treatment.
Investigators said they also recovered a pellet gun from Jones.