The man who entered the Charles R. Drew Science Magnet School within the Buffalo Museum of Science and attempted to kidnap a student will now spend the next five years in prison.
Shane Cronin, 31, of Illinois, was sentenced by a judge for the incident that occurred in February 2025. He plead guilty to the four felonies and one misdemeanor he was charged with, and was not offered a plea deal by the Erie County District Attorney's Office. Cronin's charges included attempted kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child and burglary.
Cronin was also charged with attempted assault, for punching and shoving a school employee who tried to intervene when Cronin was spotted approaching two students in a hallway. Once a security guard got involved, Cronin ran out of the building and was arrested a short time later.
“I am committed to protecting the safety of children in our community," Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane said in a written statement. "I assure the residents of Erie County that any crime committed on school grounds will be thoroughly investigated by this office. I understand that this case raised many questions and concerns. My office immediately took action following the arrest of this defendant, which resulted in an indictment by the Grand Jury following a three-month investigation. This defendant was not offered a reduced plea, and I am pleased to announce that he will serve a term of incarceration for this crime. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate of any allegations of crimes involving children and we will continue to aggressively pursue justice for our most vulnerable victims.”
In addition to his five-year prison sentence, Cronin will serve an additional five years of post-release supervision. An order of protection for the victims will remain in effect until 2037.
