Ex-Buffalo Cop Eloff Jailed for Rights Violation

BUFFALO, NY – Robert Eloff Jr., 41, a former Buffalo Police Officer, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced for deliberately violating the civil rights of a witness to a fatal assault. U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara handed down the sentence of three months incarceration and one year of supervised release, including three months of home detention, today.

The case stems from a brutal incident at Molly’s Pub in Buffalo on May 11, 2014. William Sager was violently pushed down a flight of stairs by Jeffrey Basil, ultimately succumbing to his injuries. Basil later pleaded guilty to manslaughter in state court. While working off-duty security at the bar, Eloff, then a BPD officer since 2007, identified himself as law enforcement by wearing police clothing and equipment.

The focus of the federal case wasn’t the initial assault, but Eloff’s subsequent actions. A witness, identified only as D.H., observed Sager being carried from the bar after the fall. When D.H. rightfully questioned responding Buffalo Police officers about what had happened, Eloff intervened with aggressive force. He grabbed D.H. and ordered him to leave, then, when D.H. attempted to obtain Eloff’s name and badge number, Eloff arrested and handcuffed him, seating him disturbingly close to the gravely injured Sager.

Eloff fabricated a story to justify the arrest, claiming D.H. had interfered with officers and refused to leave the premises. However, a thorough review of Molly’s Pub’s surveillance footage proved Eloff’s account to be a blatant lie. The video clearly showed D.H. never interfered and complied with any directives. Eloff essentially orchestrated a false arrest for trespassing, a crime D.H. did not commit, obstructing a potential investigation into Sager’s death.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Guerra, who prosecuted the case, presented the damning evidence. Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced the sentencing, emphasizing the importance of holding law enforcement accountable for abusing their power. The investigation was a joint effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, led by Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen, and the Buffalo Police Department, under Commissioner Daniel Derenda.

This sentencing sends a clear message: even off-duty, police officers are bound by the law and will be held responsible for trampling on the rights of citizens. While this won’t bring back William Sager, it’s a small victory for accountability in a system often quick to protect its own. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.