×

Buffalo man sentenced to state prison for home invasion

The only man apprehended in an August Pleasant Township home invasion will spend the next 26 months in state prison.

Lasheam Steward, Buffalo, was sentenced Friday by President Judge Maureen Skerda on burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary, both first-degree felonies, as well as criminal mischief.

His attorney, Public Defender Nicholis Milardo, said that Steward has no prior record and is motivated to change.

He added that Steward had no misconducts in his time in the Warren County Jail and asked Skerda for a “reasonable” sentence.

Greene pointed out the risk that Steward and the two other men, still at large, took in breaking into a home in this area.

“You’re going to get shot in Warren County,” Greene said. “This doesn’t happen in Warren County. Maybe that’s how they do things in Buffalo. In Warren County, you get shot.”

Greene said that Steward and his co-conspirators “came down here specifically from Buffalo” to commit burglary and had no prior relationship with the victim.

“They wanted to get guns” as well as “goodies” inside the residence, Greene said. Steward read a prepared statement and said that he was “sorry from the bottom of my heart” and that he is “ashamed because of what I’ve done. My grandma didn’t raise me that way.” He thanked the victim, who held Steward at gunpoint, for “not taking my life.”

Skerda said that Steward does have no prior criminal history but does have charges pending in Niagara Falls, NY.

“The court understand you could have been killed,” Skerda said. “If you weren’t there, we wouldn’t be here today.”

Skerda sentenced Steward to 14-28 months on the burglary charge, as well as $3,050 in fines and fees, to have no contact with the victim or the victim’s property and to submit a DNA sample. He is boot camp and recidivism risk reduction incentive eligible.

He was sentenced to an additional 12-24 months in prison to be served consecutively for the conspiracy charge and a $350 fine for criminal mischief.

Skerda also ordered Steward to pay a total of $7,396 in restitution – $1,000 to the victim and $6,396 to an insurance company.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today