News: BUFFALO, N.Y. – Three teens from Buffalo have plead guilty to gang raping an 18-year-old woman back in 2014.
Daqwan Morris, 19, plead guilty to rape and criminal sexual act, both in the first degree. Shameek Young, 18, plead guilty to rape and three counts of criminal sexual act. Paul Brown, 18, admitted to rape in the first degree.
Two other men, Dequan Rosenthal and Cornelius Caddele plead guilty for their role in the rape.
According to the Erie County District Attorney’s office, Morris invited the victim to his house in the summer of 2014. Once she arrived, Morris and Rosetnhal overpowered the victim, and then raped and sodomized her. The suspects kept the victim in a third floor attic for nearly four hours while each took turns raping and sodomizing her. Officials say the men recorded the crimes on a cellphone and shared the video on Facebook and Twitter. Investigators were able to obtain the phone, with video of the crimes still on it, from a local attorney, after a judge ordered the attorney to turn over the cellphone.
“Rape is a crime of secrecy and cowardice. Thanks to the courage and strength of the victim, and a methodical and unrelenting police investigation, we succeeded in bringing all of the perpetrators to justice,” says Michael J. Flaherty, Jr., acting Erie County District Attorney in a press release.
Morris and Young face a maximum prison sentence of 40 years in prison when they are sentenced next month. Brown faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.
