Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced that David Gray Jr., 42, of Buffalo, has been arraigned on charges related to a $45,000 identity theft and fraud scheme.
On Friday, Gray appeared before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller on an indictment charging him with:
Two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree
Two counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree
(All classified as Class “D” felonies)
Between March 1 and March 19, 2024, Gray allegedly used the personal information of a married couple to make nine unauthorized withdrawals from both their business and personal bank accounts. He is accused of depositing the stolen funds—totaling $45,000—into his own account at a local bank.
The couple, who reside out of state, have since been reimbursed by their financial institution.
Gray was held without bail and is scheduled to return to court on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. for a pre-trial conference.
If convicted of the most serious charge, he faces a maximum sentence of 7 years in prison.
DA Keane praised the investigative work of Detective Daniel Brinkerhoff from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office and the bank’s fraud investigator.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher P. Jurusik of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Bureau.
As with all criminal proceedings, Gray is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
