BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Cheektowaga man has been sentenced to three to six years in prison for firing a flare gun at a house in the Town of Amherst, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
Dino Bruscia, 30, pleaded guilty to third-degree arson in April and was sentenced on Friday as a repeat offender.
The incident occurred on December 22, 2019, around 5 a.m., when Bruscia deliberately shot a flare gun at a residence on Arcadian Drive, causing damage to the dining room.
A judge issued a final order of protection on behalf of the victims, which will remain in effect until June 2031.
In addition to this case, Bruscia is awaiting sentencing for two other crimes. He pleaded guilty to one count of inciting a riot and one count of second-degree criminal impersonation.
These charges stem from events that took place on May 31, 2020, when Bruscia organized an event on Facebook encouraging people to gather and loot the Walden Galleria.
On March 6, 2022, approximately two years later, Cheektowaga police pulled over Bruscia on Walden and Euclid Avenues after witnessing him driving a vehicle with a broken windshield.
During the traffic stop, Bruscia pretended to be someone else, providing the officer with a false name and presenting a driver’s license that belonged to another individual. At the time, Bruscia’s license was suspended.
Bruscia is facing a maximum sentence of two years in jail for these charges, and his sentencing is scheduled for June 15. He is currently being held without bail.