BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)– Five teenagers have been indicted on 205 charges for burglary, kidnapping and rape according to the Erie County District Attorney.
DA John Flynn said the crimes happened on two separate incidents.
The first occurred on Sept. 26, 2020 when two 19-year-olds, Abdiwahab Sabtow and Bryce Baker, along with a 13-year-old, allegedly broke into a home on Buffalo’s West Side where an 11-year-old girl was there alone.
Flynn said the suspects raped the victim until her mother came home. At that time, the teenagers fled the scene, taking off with a cell phone. The victim was taken to Oishei Children’s Hospital for treatment.
The second incident happened a couple months later on Nov. 20, 2020. Flynn said Sabtow was driving through Buffalo’s West Side with a 14-year-old and the 13-year-old suspect from the first incident when they spotted a 16-year-old girl they knew. That’s when they allegedly picked her up, drove to Potomac Park and raped her there.
“After this assault, they drove the victim to another location, and there – or on the way there – they picked up Mr. Baker, who was involved in the first one, along with another 19-year-old defendent,” Flynn said, adding that the unnamed 19-year-old has a warrant out for his arrest.
The suspects drove the victim to two other locations, raping her at both places, before holding her against her will inside a garage for several hours. Flynn said she was able to get away, and with the help of a Good Samaritan who saw her walking without shoes, was taken to the hospital.
Flynn said these teenagers are part of a “kiddie gang,” and are known to Buffalo Police – though he couldn’t go into detail on how they are known ahead of their trial.
Baker and Sabtow are both facing up to life in prison if convicted. The 13-year-old and 14-year-old are facing a maximum of 15 years behind bars.
“I don’t stand here lightly and say that a 13-year-old should go away and spend 15 years in jail. On the surface that’s harsh,” Flynn said. “But what happened to that 11-year-old child, what happened to that 16-year-old child – two children – is even more harsh.”
According to Flynn’s office, the 13 and 14-year-old are being held at the Juvenile Detention Center on East Ferry. Baker and Sabtow are at the Holding Center downtown.