Three arrested during drug raid on Jamestown's southside...
Three people have been arrested following a drug raid late last week in the city of Jamestown's southside. Sheriff's officers say members of their narcotics unit, and Jamestown and Ellicott Police executed a search warrant at 17 Norwood Ave. just before 11:30 a.m. last Friday. Just prior to the raid... investigators say they saw 20-year-old Tysean Mays leave the residence... and, City police stopped him a short distance away. Investigators then executed the search warrant... and, arrested 34-year-old Samantha Harley and 20 year-old Kody Scott inside. They also seized 67-grams of fentanyl... 27.6-grams of crack cocaine... and, 93.4-grams of methamphetamine... along with scales and packaging material used for trafficking drugs... and $605 in cash. All three were each charged with one count of second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and, second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia. All three were held pending arraignment. If you have any information on suspicious, or narcotics related activity in your area... you can call the Sheriff's Department Narcotics Investigators Tip line at 1-800-344-8702 or 664-2420. For the JPD Tip line call 483-8477.
City man, and woman, get time served in connection with major drug trafficking conspiracy in Jamestown...
A man from Jamestown has been sentenced to time served in federal court on a drug conspiracy charge. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo has announced that 66 year-old Brian Cessna... who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute... 400 grams or more of fentanyl... received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo. During the conspiracy... prosecutors say Cessna bought and sold heroin and fentanyl, for profit and his own use. He also assisted co-conspirator Holly Berenguer in selling heroin and fentanyl, for profit and her own use, delivering on her behalf and collecting payments. Co-defendant Joseph Zaso -- also known as "Joey Cracks" was Berenguer’s source of supply. Cessna used his Fairview Avenue residence for drug trafficking purposes and also allowed Berenguer to utilize the residence to sell drugs. Berenguer and Joseph Zaso were previously convicted. The 46 year-old Berenguer was also sentenced to time served.
City Council committee tables resolution on Jamestown's 2026 CDBG, and HOME program allocations...
Jamestown's Department of Development will be receiving slightly less Community Development Block Grant funding in 2026 than 2025. That from the Chairman of the City Council's Finance Committee after tabling the $1.1-million CDBG... and, $279,000 HOME program allocations Monday night. Chairman Doug Scotchmer says they took the action regarding the annual Action Plan to allow more time to crunch the numbers to be submitted in the final plan to the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development... pending dollar amounts for each specific program. Scotchmer says they want final figures filled in before voting. The proposal was also discussed by the Housing Committee... and, Chairwoman Hannah Jaroszynski says... while the public hearing will be held on May 18... the public comment period runs until June 1. The Department of Development has been accepting comments over the past month on the Action Plan... which is to address proposed housing, neighborhood, community and economic development activities over the next year in the city.
Jamestown man arrested on federal child porn charges...
A city man has been arrested on a federal child pornography charge following an investigation late last year. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo has announced that 20 year-old Connor Higgs was arrested for possession and distribution of child pornography. Prosecutors say in August of 2025... State Police received a CyberTipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, about a Discord account, which contained suspected child porn. Further investigation traced the account to Higgs... and, in October... State Police raided Higgs’ Jamestown residence, seizing eight electronic devices. He was also taken into custody... and, investigators found child porn on two of the devices. If convicted... Higgs faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison... and, a maximum of 20 years.
New lead emerges in "Ellery Jane Doe" murder case...
The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office is investigating a new lead in an unsolved case dating back more than four decades. In a Facebook post... officials announced that it has received information of a possible sighting of Christopher Wilder in New York City on Dec. 4, 1983... two days before the body of a woman known as "Ellery Jane Doe" was recovered on Route 17 in the town of Ellery. Wilder was suspected of committing a number of homicides in the United States, including New York State. As a result, he was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. He was killed on Apr. 13 of 1984 in a gunfight with New Hampshire State Police, who had contacted him in a stolen vehicle that Wilder had taken following the murder of Beth Dodge in Victor, NY. A New Hampshire State Police officer was shot during the encounter with Wilder... who was known to frequent Western New York. The Sheriff's Office would like to speak to anyone who believes they may have encountered Wilder in Western New York between Dec. 4 and 6 of 1983. You're asked to contact the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division at 753-4578 or via e-mail at Tarpley@sheriff.us.
