Jamestown Man Gets 12+ Years for Meth, Gun Charges

Kyle Kamholtz, 33, of Jamestown, NY, is headed to federal prison for 152 months after being convicted of selling methamphetamine and possessing a firearm to further his drug operation. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, marks the end of a years-long investigation into one of Jamestown’s persistent drug suppliers.

Kamholtz was identified as a key meth dealer in the area during a probe launched in November 2017 by the Jamestown Police Department. Undercover operations revealed a steady flow of meth from Kamholtz to local buyers, with law enforcement conducting multiple controlled buys that sealed his fate. Each transaction added to the mountain of evidence against him.

Authorities didn’t stop at surveillance. Traffic stops led to on-the-spot arrests where Kamholtz was found with both meth and a loaded firearm. The smoking gun, however, came during two court-authorized raids on his McKinley Avenue residence. Inside, investigators seized a firearm, substantial quantities of meth, digital scales, plastic baggies, and other tools of the drug trade.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth T. Molisani, who emphasized the danger Kamholtz posed to the community. “This wasn’t casual use,” Molisani said. “This was a criminal operation—meth was being packaged and sold, with a weapon on hand to protect the stash and the profits.”

The investigation was a joint effort between the Jamestown Police Department, led at the time by Acting Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito of the New York Field Division. Their collaboration dismantled a persistent source of illegal drugs in a struggling upstate community.

Kamholtz now faces more than 12 years behind bars, a consequence of federal crackdowns on drug traffickers who arm themselves. His conviction on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and firearm possession in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime underscores the steep penalties awaiting those who blend narcotics and guns.

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