Niagara County: Defendant pleads guilty to attempted aggravated assault on a police officer

Submitted by the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office

Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that Reginald Barnes, age 29, entered a guilty plea to attempted aggravated assault on a police officer, the highest charge he faced, in County Court on Tuesday morning.

Barnes admitted to attempting to cause serious physical injury to a Niagara Falls police officer with a knife on June 3 of last year. County Court Judge John Ottaviano promised to sentence Barnes to 16 years in prison on his guilty plea.

“But for the actions of a concerned citizen and Niagara Falls police officers, this incident could have ended much differently,” Seaman said. “The defendant was approaching the back yard of a person for whom an order of protection had previously been issued, and he was armed with a knife. When police attempted to place him under arrest for violating the order of protection, the defendant stabbed an officer in the back, then lunged at another officer. Luckily, the officers were wearing body armor and were not injured. Our law enforcement officers face dangers daily in protecting the community.

“The promised sentence in this case reflects the seriousness of attacking a police officer.”