A woman accused of repeatedly preying on elderly people is behind bars after a lengthy standoff with deputies.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office Burglary Apprehension Team, the dispute that led to the 27-year-old’s arrest began on Monday evening in the 5200 block of Northeast Fifth Terrace in Deerfield Beach.
Deputies surveilled Jamisha Shamari Sylvain in connection with her previous arrests and open warrants.
During the investigation, deputies watched Sylvain and another person walk into an apartment. According to investigators, they refused to exit, prompting the response from SWAT and crisis negotiators.
The hours-long standoff resulted in Sylvain’s arrest. BSO deputies say the 27-year-old, who has been arrested at least four times, is a thief and a scammer.
“Scamming elderly victims out of their money. Pretending that she was a caregiver or a building manager or someone trustworthy,” said BSO spokesperson Miranda Grossman.
Sylvain had been on the run since August, according to investigators, after she cut off her GPS ankle monitor that she received when she was arrested in May.
Earlier this month, she missed her court appearance related to her pending charges.
Deputies said each time she has been arrested, it’s for the same scheme.
“Sylvain would just pretend that she was already a building manager at one of these apartment buildings, so that was a trustworthy position. Or a healthcare professional. People that you should trust. And she did this to many, many victims,” said Grossman.
Back in December, the defendant was in court. In that case, officials accused her of taking a man’s debit card and stealing $1,600.
“In every single case, she gained entry to [the victims’] home under false pretenses, perpetrating a fraud, seeking to victimize them,” said a prosecutor during the 2025 court appearance. “And she was targeting these individuals. In one case, she targeted a blind woman.”
Deputies said she faces more than 70 charges overall.
“It’s disgusting that you can do this to elderly people, to our most vulnerable population, and she did it multiple times, so hopefully this puts a stop to it,” said Grossman.
As of Tuesday evening, Sylvain is behind bars in the Broward County jail.
It remains unclear if a judge will grant her bond when she appears before the court on Wednesday.