A former Erie County Sheriff’s narcotics chief pleaded not guilty Wednesday after being charged in connection with a firearm storage violation.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Former Erie County Sheriff’s Narcotics Chief DJ Granville was arraigned Wednesday morning in Buffalo City Court on a charge of failing to safely store firearms.
The charge stems from a loaded handgun that Buffalo Police said was found inside an abandoned, unlocked vehicle in May. Officers said the car was still running when they found it.
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Police say they also recovered medication with Granville’s name on it.
Granville pleaded not guilty and is due back in court July 29.
According to a police report, officers found the damaged vehicle left on and unlocked. While preparing the vehicle to be towed, officers searched the car and found a black North Face bag in the front trunk area containing a Glock 43 handgun with a round in the chamber and a full magazine.
They also found a wallet containing a work ID and badge, prescription medication, clothing, paperwork, a checkbook, a cellphone, and a walkie-talkie radio from inside the vehicle.
The vehicle was later towed to the Seneca Street impound lot.
The report states a federal court officer who called 911 told police they saw a white man wearing a dark blue jacket, light blue shirt, and tan pants get out of the vehicle and walk toward a silver or light blue sedan.
Police said officers and detectives attempted to contact the person connected to the property found inside the vehicle, but were unsuccessful.
Granville’s attorney, Terry Connors, provided a statement to WGRZ back in May saying, “DJ Granville was not the operator of the vehicle.”