BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that 31-year-old Shane K. Cronin, of Lombard, Illinois, pleaded guilty in Erie County Court to multiple charges, including:
- One count of Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felony)
- One count of Burglary in the Third Degree (Class “D” felony)
- One count of Attempted Luring a Child (Class “E” felony)
- One count of Attempted Assault in the Second Degree (Class “E” felony)
- One count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class “A” misdemeanor)
According to the DA, on February 11, 2025, Cronin unlawfully entered a school near Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Buffalo with the intent to commit a crime. The DA said Cronin approached two juvenile students in the hallway and attempted to lure and abduct one of them. A school employee who saw the incident told him to leave, but was then punched in the face and shoved to the ground by Cronin. He ran out of the building after security got involved, but was taken into custody a short time later.
Cronin has been held without bail since his arrest and faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2026. A temporary order of protection issued on behalf of the victims remains in effect.
The Erie County DA released the following statement:
“I understand this incident has raised questions and heightened concerns about the safety and well-being of children in the Buffalo Public School District. I assure the public that this office remains committed to the thorough investigation and prosecution of any crime involving a child. Our office did not offer a reduced plea in this case. This defendant pleaded guilty to the entire indictment handed down by the grand jury. We are committed to upholding the law, pursuing justice for victims, and preserving the integrity of the investigative process. I will have no further comment on this case until the court has sentenced this defendant."
This case was brought into the spotlight after Buffalo Police SVU Detective Richard Hy voiced concern about this case and other incidents in Buffalo Schools.
Following the claims made by Detective Hy, the Buffalo Board of Education held a special meeting and responded to the allegations, saying it was initiating an independent external investigation.
"The Board of Education takes allegations about the well-being of our students seriously," said Board President Dr. Kathy Evans-Brown. "The BOE is initiating an independent external investigation and the results will be shared publicly."
