Couple charged with using fake vax card to get into Bills game

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WHEC) — The Erie County District Attorney’s office has charged a West Seneca couple with trying to use a fake vaccination card to get into a Buffalo Bills game.

The D.A’s office says this is the first prosecution in Erie County under the ‘Truth in Vaccination’ law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in December. Michael Naab, 34 and Amber Naab, 37 are accused of using fake cards at Highmark Stadium on Jan. 15 for the game against the Patriots.

They’re charged with one count of felony second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and were arraigned Tuesday night in Orchard Park Town Court.

A conviction carries a sentence of up to 7 years in prison. The minimum sentence is a conditional discharge.

At a Wednesday morning news conference, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn indicated he does not intend to seek the maximum sentence.

NYSDOH thanks Erie County and the @BuffaloBills for working with us to help stop the use of fake vaccination cards during a recent Buffalo Bills game, following the passage of @GovKathyHochul’s #TruthInVaccination legislation.https://t.co/5foSeogkfM pic.twitter.com/uy5z8ZO8OM

— NYSDOH (@HealthNYGov) January 26, 2022

Prosecutors say the couple got caught because they bragged about using the fake card on social media, which had already put them on the Bills’ radar.

"When it came time for the Patriots game, they actually got in the game, they went to their seat and in the third quarter, they were tapped on the shoulder by the Buffalo Bills and the Sheriff’s Department to come with them," Flynn said. "You can’t do this. There’s a law. We got [sic] laws on the books."

News10NBC anchor Nikki Rudd reached out to Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley and asked if there have been any local cases similar to this. She said she has not received or prosecuted any similar cases.