Defendant sentenced to 15 years in prison for targeting hotel clerks in armed robbery spree across Erie County

Submitted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced 26-year-old Abdi Kadir of Buffalo was sentenced this afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Suzanne Maxwell Barnes to 15 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. He was sentenced today as a second violent felony offender.

Over the course of nine days, the defendant forcibly stole money and personal property from multiple victims as they were working at different hotels throughout Erie County. The defendant also forcibly stole cash from three people who were working at a store on Buffalo’s west side. The defendant displayed what appeared to be a gun during the commission of each crime.

On May 11, 2021, at approximately 5:25 a.m., the defendant forcibly stole an unknown amount of cash from the register of hotel on Transit Road in the Town of Lancaster after he displayed what appeared to be a black pistol at the clerk.

A short time after the initial crime, the defendant displayed what appeared to be a black pistol at another clerk at nearby hotel on Transit Road in the Town of Lancaster. The defendant forcibly stole approximately $100 in cash from the register and $642.87 from the safe.

On May 15, 2021, at approximately 11:50 p.m., the defendant forcibly stole approximately $400 in cash after displaying what appeared to be a black pistol at the clerk of a hotel on Flint Road in the Town of Amherst.

On May 17, 2021, at approximately 4:40 a.m., the defendant displayed what appeared to be a gun at a clerk who was working at a hotel on Millersport Highway in the Town of Amherst. The defendant forcibly stole approximately $250 from the register, a safe, and the victim’s purse.

During the crime, a security guard, who was sitting inside her vehicle in the parking lot, saw the defendant exit the hotel while pushing the safe on a rolling chair toward a vehicle. The security guard tried to intervene by attempting to block the suspect vehicle with her own vehicle. The defendant approached the driver side of the vehicle while pointing what appeared to be a pistol at the security guard. The defendant forcibly stole the security guard’s gun, as he pointed his weapon at her head, before fleeing the scene.

On May 19, 2021, at approximately 5:03 a.m., the defendant displayed what appeared to be a gun at the clerk and forcibly stole approximately $400 in cash from the register of a hotel on Sheridan Drive in the Town of Tonawanda.

Later the same day, at approximately 6:46 p.m., the defendant displayed what appeared to be a gun at a clerk and forcibly stole approximately $280 in cash from the register of a wine store on Rhode Island Street in the City of Buffalo.

On May 19, 2021, at approximately 7:45 p.m., the defendant displayed what appeared to be a gun at the owner and forcibly stole an unknown amount of cash from the register of a different hotel located on Sheridan Drive in the Town of Tonawanda. The defendant unlawfully entered the victim’s residence where he forcibly stole a cell phone and the victim’s purse. The victim called police after the defendant fled.

Town of Tonawanda Police officers located the defendant a short time after receiving the 911 call, and the defendant was subsequently arrested.

On Sept. 21, 2023, Kadir pleaded guilty to nine counts of robbery in the first degree and one count of burglary in the first degree (class “B” violent felonies). The defendant pleaded guilty, as charged, to all counts in the indictment against him.

DA Flynn commends the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, Amherst Police Department, Lancaster Police Department and Buffalo Police Department for their work in these investigations.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rebecca L. Schnirel of the homicide bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Ryan M. Flaherty of the felony trials bureau.