Julius Hatten, Jr., 29, of Buffalo, NY, pointed a loaded 9mm pistol at law enforcement officers during a violent traffic stop in August 2018 — an act that ended with his arrest and now a guilty plea, federal prosecutors confirm.
Hatten pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The incident unfolded on Winspear Avenue when Buffalo Police observed Hatten’s black vehicle committing multiple traffic violations and initiated a routine stop.
What followed was anything but routine. As officers moved to detain Hatten — determining he was unfit to drive — he resisted, shoved them, and pulled a firearm from his waistband. He then fled on foot and pointed the weapon directly at the officers, according to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles J. Volkert, Jr. and Justin G. Bish, who are prosecuting the case.
Hatten was tackled and taken into custody on Highgate Avenue. The seized firearm, confirmed as a 9mm pistol, added a deadly edge to the confrontation. His criminal history sealed the federal charge: in August 2011, Hatten was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree in Erie County Court — a felony that legally bans him from owning or carrying any gun.
The plea is the result of a joint investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), led by Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito of the New York Field Division. Authorities stress that armed confrontations with police will be met with full federal prosecution.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2019, before Judge Skretny. No plea deal details have been released. Hatten remains in federal custody pending that date. This case is being prosecuted as part of broader efforts to remove illegal firearms from high-crime areas in Western New York.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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