Sean Thomas
A Jamestown man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the death of a Jamestown infant.
Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said that 28-year old Sean Thomas was sentenced Monday on a conviction of 1st Degree Manslaughter arising from the April 2024 strangling death of eight month old Aniya Turk. Thomas had previously been indicted for 2nd Degree Murder, but he pled to the reduced charge on December 15, 2025.
Schmidt said in a statement, “This closes out one of three child-homicide cases which all occurred within our County during a period of less than a month back in April, 2024. Two of the three happened in Jamestown and were simultaneously investigated by Jamestown Police whose investigators developed such overwhelming evidence of guilt that we were able to obtain a similar plea on that case as well. I cannot overemphasize the excellent investigative work performed by our Jamestown Police Officers under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Despite being overwhelmed with multiple critical incidents and other police work at a time when they, along with our other police agencies, were undergoing record staffing shortages and reduced operating budgets relative to increased crime, Jamestown Police Department did exactly what was asked and expected of them. As a reflection of their solid work, Mr. Thomas will now spend the next approximate 20 years in state prison, and next month, on May 28th, Matthew Nuttall will be sentenced on his Manslaughter 1st conviction for causing the death of a 17 month old Jamestown toddler. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated group of experienced professionals working these difficult, heartbreaking cases.”
The third child homicide prosecution from April, 2024 involves Silver Creek resident Ashley Bertino, who is charged with the death of her 12 year old daughter Mya. A Chautauqua County Grand Jury previously charged Ms. Bertino with Murder in the Second Degree under a “depraved indifference” theory, but that charge was later dismissed by County Court Judge David Foley on legal grounds concerning the applicability of the murder charge to the proven facts. District Attorney Schmidt is appealing that dismissal and expects argument on the appeal to be held by the Fourth Department Appellate Division later this year. The other charges contained in the indictment, Manslaughter in the Second Degree and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, were untouched by County Court and remain in place while the appeal is pending.
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