Niagara Co. District Attorney Brian Seaman

Niagara Co. District Attorney Brian Seaman Brian Seaman is the District Attorney for Niagara County.

08/17/2026

PRESS RELEASE:

August 17, 2026

LOCKPORT, NY: Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that Quayshawn J. Doctor, age 32 of the Town of Lockport, was sentenced to spend the next 7 ½ to 15 years in prison for a series of fraud convictions. Doctor previously entered guilty pleas to the crimes of Identity Theft in the First Degree, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree.

The defendant obtained bank account and personal information for a number of Niagara County residents which was encoded on debit cards appearing to be authentic. Those cards were then used to purchase goods and services from a number of retailers.

Seaman stated: “in recent years we have seen a proliferation of fraud crimes in an on-line environment that is increasingly anonymous. We are not always able to link this type of crime to a particular individual, but in this case we were able to. The sentence in this case fits the calculated nature of the crimes and the defendant’s persistent criminal conduct.”

Doctor, who has three previous felony convictions, was given consecutive sentences by County Court Judge Caroline Wojtaszek. The case was investigated by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police and prosecuted by Special Investigations Bureau Chief Susan Bjornholm and Assistant District Attorney Amber Poulos.

08/17/2026

PRESS RELEASE:

August 13, 2026

LOCKPORT, NY: Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that two defendants entered guilty pleas this week in unrelated vehicular assault cases happening on the same day in June of last year.

​Ashley M. Metro, age 45 of Niagara Falls, plead guilty to Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree and admitted to operating her vehicle while impaired by the influence of co***ne and cannabis, and as a result caused serious physical injury to another. Metro was driving her vehicle while impaired in a residential neighborhood in Niagara Falls on June 22, 2025 when she struck and seriously injured a 10 year old girl riding a scooter. The child was rushed to the hospital by emergency responders and is doing well more than a year after the incident.
​Metro faces up to 4 years in prison when she returns to be sentenced on October 13th by County Court Judge John Ottaviano. The case was investigated by the Niagara Falls Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nichole Tarbell.


​Barbara A. Rodgers, age 24 of Lockport, entered a guilty plea to the crimes of Assault in the Second Degree and Driving while Impaired by the combined influence of drugs including fentanyl and cannabis. Rodgers was operating her vehicle while impaired on Transit Rd. in the Town of Lockport, also on June 22, 2025, when she slammed into the rear of another vehicle forcing that vehicle off the road and causing serious injury to a passenger in her own vehicle as well as to another person in the vehicle she struck.
​Rodgers faces up to 7 years in prison when she returns to court to be sentenced by County Court Judge Caroline Wojtaszek. The case was investigated by the New York State Police and prosecuted by Vehicular Crimes Bureau Chief Christine Savoia.

Seaman stated: “The callous and reckless decisions by these defendants to drive under the influence of drugs caused very serious injuries to three individuals and placed the lives of countless others at risk. There should be a correspondingly serious consequence for these crimes which we will ask the judges to impose at sentencing.”

07/09/2026

PRESS RELEASE:

July 9, 2026

LOCKPORT, NY: Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that Thomas H. Summers, Jr., age 53 of Newfane, plead guilty this afternoon to the crime of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree. Summers admitted to driving his truck while impaired by the combined influence of co***ne, methamphetamine, and oxycodone, which caused a crash that took the life of his passenger, 48 year old Rodolfo Espinoza, on Lockport Junction Road in the Town of Lockport last July 16th.

“This plea should be a reminder to everyone of the consequences of driving while impaired by any substance,” said Seaman. “The possible prison term allowed by law for this crime will never be sufficient for the damage caused by the defendant. We will be asking for the maximum term.”

Summers faces up to 2 1/3 to 7 years in state prison when he returns to be sentenced by Acting Supreme Court Justice Mario Giacobbe on September 11th. The case was investigated by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Vehicular Crimes Bureau Chief Christine Savoia.

07/01/2026

PRESS RELEASE:

Monday, June 29, 2026

LOCKPORT, NY: Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that Gabriel Moyer, age 24, of Sanborn, was sentenced by County Court Judge John Ottaviano to spend the next 22 years in prison for his guilty plea to the crime of Manslaughter in the First Degree. Moyer previously admitted to shooting and killing 26 year old Keith Agee on June 4, 2022 in Niagara Falls.

“The defendant’s violent crime took a young man’s life. The court’s sentence today brings a four-year legal ordeal for Mr. Agee’s family to a close,” said Seaman.

The case was investigated by the Niagara Falls Police Department and prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Doreen Hoffmann and Assistant District Attorney Susan Bjornholm.

This past week, employees of the District Attorney’s Office spent time volunteering at Camp Happiness.Camp Happiness is ...
06/22/2026

This past week, employees of the District Attorney’s Office spent time volunteering at Camp Happiness.

Camp Happiness is a week long event hosted at Cambria Fire Company in partnership with the Elks Lodge and other area volunteers. This year’s camp events included a bubble show, foam party, arts and crafts, bingo, outdoor games, the new sensory station and much more.

It was a great experience for volunteers and campers. We are looking forward to enjoying the next event, as there’s already talk of next year’s activities.

The Honorable Brian D. Seaman was honored this past Saturday by the Niagara County Judges and Police Conference. He rec...
04/29/2026

The Honorable Brian D. Seaman was honored this past Saturday by the Niagara County Judges and Police Conference. He received the 2026 Lawman of the Year Award, as well as a proclamation from the Niagara County Legislature.

04/21/2026

PRESS RELEASE:

Monday, April 20, 2026

LOCKPORT, NY: Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that Gabriel Moyer, age 24, of Sanborn, plead guilty this morning to the crime of Manslaughter in the First Degree. Moyer admitted to shooting and killing 26 year old Keith Agee on June 4, 2022 in Niagara Falls. Moyer faces between 18 and 22 years in prison when he returns to be sentenced by County Court Judge John Ottaviano on June 29th. A previous trial in this case took place in July 2024 but ended in a mistrial after jurors could not agree on a verdict.

“Today’s plea brings to an end what has been a long and drawn out ordeal for Mr. Agee’s family,” said Seaman.

The case was investigated by the Niagara Falls Police Department and prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Doreen Hoffmann and Assistant District Attorney Susan Bjornholm.

04/15/2026

PRESS RELEASE:

April 15, 2026

LOCKPORT, NY: Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that Richard J. Fox was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison, to be served consecutive to sentences for his Erie County cases. The sentence imposed by County Court Judge John Ottaviano was the maximum possible for Fox’s conviction of Murder in the Second Degree. Fox previously admitted that he killed 32 year old Crystal Curthoys, formerly of Lockport, in January 2023, in Niagara Falls. Curthoys’ remains were found by Falls police in a house formerly occupied by Fox.

Seaman stated: “I am thankful that we were able to provide some answers to Crystal’s family, and that they know that her killer was held to answer for this awful crime. Crystal and her family deserved that.”

The case was investigated by the Niagara Falls Police Department with the assistance of the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office and the Buffalo Police Department, and prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Doreen Hoffmann and Executive Assistant District Attorney Maria Stoelting.

04/14/2026

PRESS RELEASE:

April 14, 2026

LOCKPORT, NY: Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that a Niagara County jury returned a guilty verdict this afternoon convicting 33 year old Brandon J. Wall of Niagara Falls of Aggravated Cruelty to an Animal and Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree. Wall was convicted of strangling a puppy belonging to his significant other, requiring intensive veterinary care to save it from its injuries.

“It is hard to imagine how a person could hurt a helpless pet in this way,” said Seaman. “We will be asking the judge to impose a state prison sentence.”

The defendant faces as much as 7 years in prison when he returns to court to be sentenced by County Court Judge Caroline Wojtaszek. The case was investigated by the Niagara Falls Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Derek Hafner and Raymond Fadel.

04/14/2026

PRESS RELEASE:

April 14, 2026

LOCKPORT, NY: Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that Darrion A. Cotton, age 59, of Niagara Falls, was sentenced to spend the next 19 years in prison following his guilty plea to the crime of Assault in the First Degree. Cotton previously admitted to seriously injuring a gas station cashier by striking her in the head with a hammer during a robbery on January 19, 2024, in Niagara Falls.

“The Niagara Falls Police Department did an outstanding job in identifying the individual responsible for this horrendous attack,” said Seaman. “The defendant had three prior felony convictions, and had made three prior trips to state prison. This sentence will protect the community from this dangerous and violent individual.”

Sentence was imposed by Acting Supreme Court Justice Mario Giacobbe. The case was investigated by the Niagara Falls Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Derek Hafner and Richelle Kloch-Krantz.

Address

175 Hawley Street
Lockport, NY

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Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+17164397085

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