Two people charged after Tuesday standoff | News, Sports, Jobs

City police announced Wednesday that Jensen Vazquez, 38, and Kylah Seiberg, 29, both of Jamestown, were charged after an effort to charge the pair in a weeks-long shooting investigation turned into a drug-trafficking investigation. The address — 84 Victoria Ave., Jamestown, is also the site of the Aug. 17 shooting.

At 12:42 p.m. Tuesday, Jamestown Police were dispatched to 84 Victoria Ave. in reference to a reported burglary. Officers were advised that unknown individuals were inside a residence.

The home is in the same area where a shooting occurred on Aug. 17, in which a man was shot and taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police updated the man’s condition Wednesday, saying he was expected to survive.

As part of that investigation, officers executed a search warrant on an upstairs apartment at 84 Victoria Ave. and a vehicle belonging to one of the apartment’s residents. During the search, detectives reported finding 111.9 grams of methamphetamine, 23.3 grams of powder cocaine, 9.4 grams of crack cocaine, 66.5 grams of fentanyl, and a 9mm handgun. No charges were filed at the time the search warrant was executed because the apartment’s occupants, identified by police as Kylah Seiberg and Jensen Vazquez, had fled the scene.

Jensen Vazquez

As the investigation into the burglary continued, it was determined that Seiberg and Vazquez had returned to the residence, now almost two weeks later. Seiberg was apprehended fairly quickly by patrol, but Vazquez refused to leave the residence. Vazquez was reported to have armed himself with a firearm and a portion of the residence was barricaded, making it difficult to enter the home. The Jamestown Police Department SWAT Team was called to the scene to assist in taking Vazquez into custody due to the fact that he currently had an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the United States District Court in Western New York for violating federal probation. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office also responded with their SWAT team to assist. After several hours and the use of chemical munitions to force Vazquez to peacefully surrender, he still refused to leave the residence. The Jamestown SWAT Team eventually entered the residence after a search warrant was issued by Jamestown Municipal Court Judge John LaMancuso. Police report: Vazquez was found by SWAT officers under insulation and attic floorboards and taken into custody without further incident. As he was leaving the scene, Vazquez uttered several profanities to bystanders who saw him walking in handcuffs under police escort. A further search of the home was conducted, which revealed 65.3 grams of fentanyl in the same area where police found Vazquez.

Vazquez was taken to the city jail and held pending arraignment on five counts of third-degree possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia and second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Seiberg was also arrested but was only charged with what was found in an Aug. 17, 2024 search warrant. She is being held in the Jamestown City Jail pending arraignment on five counts of third-degree possession of a controlled substance, four counts of third-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

The shooting and assault investigation has been ongoing since Aug. 17. Any tips can be reported to the Jamestown Police Department at 716-483-7537 or the anonymous tip line at 716-483-8477.

Throughout the investigation, the Jamestown Police Department was assisted by the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, Chautauqua County Emergency Medical Services and Tactical Medics, Jamestown Fire Department, New York State Police, and the Chautauqua County Criminal Investigation Team.

VAZQUEZ PREVIOUS CHARGES FOR PATHOLOGICAL CONFLICT AND ESCAPE

Kylah Seiberg

Vazquez was also involved in a conflict in March 2023 when city police learned of Vazquez’s whereabouts because it was determined that the man was wanted by the United States Marshals Service on a federal probation warrant.

Officers secured the area around the residence and learned that Vasquez was in the bedroom and “could be armed with a firearm.” After more than six hours, Vasquez and a 25-year-old Jamestown woman emerged from the home and were charged. An investigation revealed that Vasquez allegedly had a rifle. Vasquez was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree obstructing governmental administration.

In July 2021, a federal grand jury issued an indictment charging Vasquez with escaping custody. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. According to the indictment, Vasquez was sentenced in 2018 to five years in prison after being convicted of a federal drug offense. On April 28, 2021, Vasquez escaped from the Community Resources for Justice, Lighthouse Buffalo Residential Reentry Center. The U.S. Marshals Service rearrested Vasquez on May 21, 2021.

DRUG ALLEGATIONS EARLY THIS YEAR

Seiberg was charged in February following a drug investigation in the area of ​​Falconer and Grant streets in Jamestown, after a Jamestown Police Department K-9 unit and Violence Prevention Unit stopped a vehicle for observed violations. During the investigation, it was determined that the occupants of the vehicle, one of whom was allegedly Seiberg, were in possession of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, a quantity of currency and a throwing star.

SWAT vehicles are pictured in front of a home at 84 Victoria Ave. in Jamestown on Tuesday.

Officers also determined that Seiberg had a prior felony conviction for which she was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Seiberg was additionally charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Seiberg was also charged in 2019 after allegedly participating in an incident in which another person was stabbed in the face in Sinclairville. The victim said two people broke into her home and stabbed her in the face before fleeing in a vehicle. The vehicle was stopped moments later by New York State Police on Route 60 in Ellicott. Seiberg was charged with first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and third-degree criminal mischief.

In October 2018, Seiberg was allegedly found in possession of 5.1 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 2.7 grams of marijuana after a traffic stop on South Main Street in Jamestown. She was charged with possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and unlawful possession of marijuana. During a search of her vehicle, officers also found more than an ounce of crystal methamphetamine and $4,000 in cash.