ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) – The West Seneca couple that was charged with using fake vaccine cards to attend the Bills-Patriots playoff game at Highmark Stadium in January agreed to a plea deal that bans them from Bills games at Highmark Stadium.
Michael and Amber Naab, 34 and 37, pleaded guilty Tuesday before Orchard Park Town Justice Jorge S. DeRosas to one count each of Disorderly Conduct, and they were sentenced to a conditional discharge. Both were ordered to do 100 hours of community service and to pay $500 combined in fines and surcharges, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Additionally, part of their plea prohibits them from attending Bills games at the current Highmark Stadium. Once the new Bills stadium opens, which is expected to be in 2026, the Naabs will be prohibited from purchasing season tickets in their own name.
The Naabs had been charged in January with one count each of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, a Class D felony. The charge carried a maximum of 7 years in prison if convicted, but Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said at the time that he was “not going to jam them up” because “I readily admit this is not the crime of the century.”
Proof of vaccination was required at Bills home games last season. It was alleged that the Naabs gained entrance to the Jan. 15 game with their fake cards, though Flynn said they were already on the Bills’ radar due to their social media activity.
An anonymous tip led to an investigation during the Patriots game, Flynn said in January. They were removed from their seats for questioning during the third quarter.
Without their social media posts, Flynn said the couple “probably” would have gotten away with using fake cards.
The Bills won the Wild Card game against the Patriots, 47-17, scoring a touchdown on every possession. They were eliminated the following week in the Divisional Round, falling to the Chiefs in overtime 42-36.
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Nick Veronica is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team as the Digital Executive Producer in 2021. He previously worked at NBC Sports and The Buffalo News. You can follow Nick on Facebook and Twitter and find more of his work here.