JAMESTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT

A Jamestown man and Falconer woman are facing charges after a traffic stop on Thursday afternoon.

Jamestown Police report they were patrolling in the area of East Second and Windsor streets when they observed a gray four-door sedan with dark tinted windows.

Officers initiated a traffic stop on Winsor Street and located Steven M. Lester, 34, in the vehicle. Lester has active Jamestown City Court bench warrants and was taken into custody.

After further investigation and a subsequent search of the vehicle, Mary L. Waechter, 64, was found to be in possession of several different quantites of controlled substance in pill form. Further investigation found Waechter to possess digital scales believed to be used for the measuring of narcotics.

She was charged with four counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminally using drug parapernalia and uniform traffic tickets for window tint on the front and rear sidewings of a sedan. She was transported to City Jail for processing and released due to bail reform. Lester was transported to City Jail and held pending arraignment on his bench warrants.

U.S. DISTRICT COURT

¯ BUFFALO — A Jamestown woman has pleaded guilty to drug charges.

U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced Friday that Katie Calimeri, 30, made the plea before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. admitting to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that between 2019, and June 2022, Calimeri conspired with others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine for profit and for her own use. Calimeri utilized Facebook to conduct her drug trafficking activities, including making deals with associates, suppliers, and customers. On Feb. 11, 2021, Calimeri sold heroin to an individual working with the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force.

Co-defendant Rachelle Allison was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing. Charges remain pending against co-defendants Ryan Bloom and Morales Sanchez.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation. The force identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 21 at 9 a.m. before Sinatra.

¯ A Jamestown man has pleaed guilty to methamphetamine charges.

U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced that Luis Martinez, 51, pleaded before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five grams or more of methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years and a fine of $5,000,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan K. Glaberson and Michael J. Adler, who are handling the case, stated that in May and June of 2020, Martinez conspired with others to sell methamphetamine. On June 5, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at a Water Street residence, recovering approximately 20 grams of cocaine, a loaded Glock, $3,534 in cash, 14 individually wrapped plastic bags containing a total of approximately 363 grams of methamphetamine, a kilo press, two digital scales, a number of cell phones and tablets, additional smaller bags of cocaine and methamphetamine, and other drug paraphernalia.

On June 10, 2020, investigators received information that Martinez had an outstanding parole warrant issued against him, at which time he was located in a vehicle on Price Street and taken into in custody. Law enforcement also recovered another $37,670 in cash behind a residence.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 31 at 10 a.m. before Sinatra.