FORMER CATTARAUGUS COUNTY MAN SENTENCED AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO HATE CRIME FOR THREATENING PROTESTERS WITH KNIFE

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 51-year-old Michael J. Cremen of Mountain Home, Arkansas, formerly of Franklinville, New York, was sentenced this morning before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller to one year in jail. His sentence has already been served due his time in pre-trial custody. After his court appearance this morning, Cremen was taken to the Erie County Holding Center where he will be processed and released later today.

On Friday, August 28, 2020, at approximately 6:30 p.m., the defendant used racial slurs while threatening protesters with a knife during a demonstration on Hertel Avenue near Parkside Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The defendant pushed one protester during the incident.

The defendant, who was released on his own recognizance in the hate crime-related case, repeatedly failed to appear in court. A bench warrant was issued after defendant knowingly failed to appear for a court proceeding in February 2022 and failed to appear for the re-scheduled court appearance in March 2022.

In December 2022, the defendant was taken into custody in Arkansas by the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office on an outstanding bench warrant and an indictment warrant for bail jumping. Cremen was extradited back to Western New York by the U.S. Marshals Service to face prosecution. He was held without bail.

On November 2, 2023, Cremen pleaded guilty one count of Menacing in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime and one count of Bail Jumping in the Second Degree (Class “E” felonies). The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest charges in full satisfaction of both indictments against him. As part of the plea, Justice Boller agreed to sentence the defendant to one year in jail. Cremen was released from pre-trial custody on the day of the plea.

Related articles

‘Modern Gestapo!’ Protests erupt as Kristi Noem leaves hearing early



Protesters lashed out at Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after she left a hearing early.

Hours before the House Homeland Security Committee was scheduled to adjourn on Thursday, Noem said she had to leave to attend to department business.

"I have to actually leave this hearing early because the FEMA review council is giving their report today on suggestions for changes to FEMA," the secretary said before getting up to exit the hearing.

As she left, protesters could be shouting, "Shame!"

"You are the modern SS & Gestapo!" a demonstrator yelled as Noem hugged "Angel Mom" Agnes Gibboney, whose son was allegedly shot and killed by an undocumented immigrant.

Protesters accused Noem of using Gibboney as a shield.

Why Music Matters with Jeff Miers: Evan Laedke

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we...

The Erie County Winter Storm Scale: What is it?

Developed in collaboration with Erie County, SUNY...

Trump official claims ’50 years of discrimination’ against whites as lawyers flee DOJ



Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon claimed that the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division was guilty of "50 years of discrimination" against white people after about 75% of the agency's lawyers said she was behind a plot to drive them out.

"I think there was some denial and they had crying sessions together," Dhillon told The New York Post this week. "Frankly, it was shocking to them. They had unhappy hours. It was like a lot of drama and handwringing."

"I didn't fire anybody. I just told them they have to approach their job differently. They self-deported with a nice golden parachute from the government."

On Wednesday's appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show, Dhillon encouraged viewers to apply for jobs at the reconstructed Civil Rights Division.

"We just sued Minneapolis for discriminating against teachers who are not minorities and, you know, on and on and on," she promised. "And so we are hiring, and so lawyers with at least 18 months of experience who are interested in serving a tour of duty to help their country."

Charlie Kirk Show producer Andrew Kolvet lamented that white people could soon no longer hold majority status in the U.S.

"Let's say it was 83% white country [in the 1960s]; now we're basically 50%," he noted. "You give that another 10 years, it's going to be probably under 50%, maybe right around 50%. ... When I was born, I think we were around 80% white still."

Dhillon admitted that "we have a history of discrimination in our country."

But she suggested that the courts went too far with a 1971 decision that started the concept of disparate impact.

"So in other words, you no longer necessarily had to prove in your discrimination case, whatever the context was, that you are actually being the victim of intentional discrimination," she remarked. "You could simply prove that there's a hiring process or a policy, or there's certain, you know, tests that are required, and I, because I'm African-American, I can't pass a test."

"We have now issued a guidance that says that this 50 years of discrimination is against frankly law-abiding practices and businesses and recipients is over," she added. "It is harming a lot of people. It is wrong."