10/19/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/19/2026 10:35
Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that Jahi Pope, 23, of Getzville, was sentenced this morning before State Supreme Court Justice Betty Calvo-Torres. Pope received a determinate sentence of 20 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.
On Monday, July 29, 2024, at approximately 5:42 p.m., Buffalo Police responded to a shooting on the 1400 block of Broadway near Liddell Street. The victim, 19-year-old Naszair E. Sanders, was pronounced dead at the scene. The defendant admitted to being a participant in the fatal shooting of the victim.
In July 2026, Pope pleaded guilty to one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree (Class B violent felony) in full satisfaction of the indictment.
DA Keane commends Detective Sergeant Sean McCabe, Detective Jose Lorenzo, Detective Judith Walker, Detective Jerry Guilian, Detective Michelle Palamara, Officer Andrew Moffet and Office Joshua Kaczmarek of the Buffalo Police Department as well as the Amherst Police Department and Erie County Crime Analysis Center for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Justin H. Caldwell of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Abbi L. Fuhrken of the Domestic Violence Bureau.