Niagara County DA's office announces guilty plea

Submitted by the Niagara County District Attorney's Office

Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced Duvan A. Berrio-Hernandez, no permanent address, plead guilty today in County Court to the crime of criminal sex act in the first degree.

Berrio-Hernandez admitted to sexually assaulting a woman in Niagara Falls on Nov. 5 of last year. He faces up to 20 years in prison and 20 years post-release supervision when he returns to court to be sentenced by County Court Judge Caroline Wojtaszek.

Seaman stated: “The victim in this case was accosted in the street at knifepoint and sexually assaulted. This was a horrible crime of violence. We will be asking the judge to impose the maximum sentence.”

The defendant is scheduled to return to court on June 22 to be sentenced. After serving his sentence, the defendant will then be subject to deportation.

The case was investigated by the Niagara Falls Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Heather Nicholson of the special victims bureau.