BUFFALO, NY— In the dramatic fallout that has followed a viral whistleblower report from Buffalo Police SVU Detective Richard Hy on the Unsubscribe Podcast last week, a man who accused of breaking into the Dr. Charles R. Drew Science Magnet School 59 attached to the Buffalo Science Museum in February has been indicted on four felony charges.
The charges include a single count of attempted kidnapping and one count of attempted luring a child by an Erie County Grand Jury.
The suspect, identified as Shane Cronin, 30, of Lombard, Illinois was arraigned Wednesday according to The Buffalo News, and WBEN on charges of Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Burglary in the Third Degree, Attempted Luring a Child, Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, all felonies, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a misdemeanor. Per WBEN, Cronin illegally entered the school and allegedly approached two children in a hallway, in an incident described by Hy during his initial whistleblower video.
The suspect allegedly attempted to lure and abduct one of the students, according to the outlet. A school employee who witnessed this confronted Cronin and ordered him to leave the premises. At this point, he allegedly assaulted the school employee, punching her in the face and shoving her to the ground before fleeing the school when a security guard arrived to engage him. He was placed under arrest by Buffalo Police a short while after, near the school.
Initially, Cronin was charged with assaulting the school employee, burglary, and child endangerment, however, this changed after the report by Detective Hy.
In the statement, Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane revealed in a statement that Cronin is charged with “One count of Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree,” and “One count of Attempted Luring a Child,” which is inconsistent with the whistleblower report of Detective Hy in which he stated that two children, a boy and a girl, were victims of the attempted abduction. Hy observed at the time that only one child’s parents were informed, as previously reported by Law Enforcement Today.
The DA stated, “The defendant, who did not have permission to be inside of the school, allegedly approached two juvenile students in the hallway. The defendant is accused of attempting to lure and abduct one of the students.” (emphasis added)
"I understand this alleged incident has raised questions and heightened concerns about the safety and well-being of children in the Buffalo Public School District.”
He added, “I assure the public that this office remains committed to the thorough investigation and prosecution of any crime involving a child. Additionally, I am aware of statements made by a member of the Buffalo Police Department in recent podcast interviews. My office has been conducting an investigation. We are committed to upholding the law, pursuing justice for victims, and preserving the integrity of the investigative process. While our investigation continues, I will have no further comment and will provide an update at the appropriate time.”
The discrepancy has drawn criticism after an initial report screen captured by Unsubscribe Podcast co-host Nic ‘Fat Electrician’ showed Cronin charged with “Two counts of luring a child to commit a felony,” rather than one.
Cronin is scheduled to appear in court on June 18th and is being held without bail. He faces up to 15 years in prison on the maximum sentence for the kidnapping charge. Per the DA, additional charges may be filed at a later date.
The charges include a single count of attempted kidnapping and one count of attempted luring a child by an Erie County Grand Jury.
The suspect, identified as Shane Cronin, 30, of Lombard, Illinois was arraigned Wednesday according to The Buffalo News, and WBEN on charges of Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Burglary in the Third Degree, Attempted Luring a Child, Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, all felonies, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a misdemeanor. Per WBEN, Cronin illegally entered the school and allegedly approached two children in a hallway, in an incident described by Hy during his initial whistleblower video.
The suspect allegedly attempted to lure and abduct one of the students, according to the outlet. A school employee who witnessed this confronted Cronin and ordered him to leave the premises. At this point, he allegedly assaulted the school employee, punching her in the face and shoving her to the ground before fleeing the school when a security guard arrived to engage him. He was placed under arrest by Buffalo Police a short while after, near the school.
Initially, Cronin was charged with assaulting the school employee, burglary, and child endangerment, however, this changed after the report by Detective Hy.
In the statement, Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane revealed in a statement that Cronin is charged with “One count of Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree,” and “One count of Attempted Luring a Child,” which is inconsistent with the whistleblower report of Detective Hy in which he stated that two children, a boy and a girl, were victims of the attempted abduction. Hy observed at the time that only one child’s parents were informed, as previously reported by Law Enforcement Today.
The DA stated, “The defendant, who did not have permission to be inside of the school, allegedly approached two juvenile students in the hallway. The defendant is accused of attempting to lure and abduct one of the students.” (emphasis added)
"I understand this alleged incident has raised questions and heightened concerns about the safety and well-being of children in the Buffalo Public School District.”
He added, “I assure the public that this office remains committed to the thorough investigation and prosecution of any crime involving a child. Additionally, I am aware of statements made by a member of the Buffalo Police Department in recent podcast interviews. My office has been conducting an investigation. We are committed to upholding the law, pursuing justice for victims, and preserving the integrity of the investigative process. While our investigation continues, I will have no further comment and will provide an update at the appropriate time.”
I’m sorry? How many counts of attempted abduction?! 2?! Just like @AngryCops said!
— The Fat Electrician (@Fat_Electrician) May 5, 2025
It’s almost like the SVU detective with nothing to gain and everything to lose wasn’t just lying for fun.
Now tell us if @Buffalo_Schools deleted the CCTV footage. https://t.co/bk0XQFrTj5 pic.twitter.com/tNp4l9MV6U
The discrepancy has drawn criticism after an initial report screen captured by Unsubscribe Podcast co-host Nic ‘Fat Electrician’ showed Cronin charged with “Two counts of luring a child to commit a felony,” rather than one.
Cronin is scheduled to appear in court on June 18th and is being held without bail. He faces up to 15 years in prison on the maximum sentence for the kidnapping charge. Per the DA, additional charges may be filed at a later date.
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