Man’s death prompts investigation at Coalinga’s state prison, officials say

Victoria Meza
·1 min read

COALINGA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A homicide investigation is underway after officers at the Pleasant Valley State Prison found an incarcerated man from Tulare County unresponsive in the cell he shared with a man from Los Angeles County, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said on Thursday.

According to officers from PVSP, they were conducting security rounds and approached a cell occupied by 25-year-old Jaime Ambriz from Tulare County and 24-year-old Roberto Briseno from Los Angeles County on Wednesday at approximately 10:15 p.m. The officer observed Ambriz unresponsive in the cell and immediately called for medical assistance.

Roberto Briseno
Roberto Briseno
Jaime Ambriz
Jaime Ambriz

Officers say responding staff initiated life-saving measures, summoned an ambulance, and transported Ambriz to the prison’s triage and treatment area, but he ended up succumbing to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at 10:48 p.m. by Coalinga Fire Department paramedics.

Officials say the cell is secured as a crime scene. An investigation continues by PVSP’s Investigative Services Unit and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. The Office of the Inspector General was notified, and the Fresno County Coroner will determine the official cause of death.

According to officials, Ambriz was received from Tulare County on Aug. 8, 2023, and he was sentenced to three years for assault with a deadly weapon. Briseno was received from Los Angeles County on May 2, 2022, and he was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder.

While incarcerated, officials say Briseno was sentenced in Kern County to seven years for assault by a prisoner with any means of force likely to cause great bodily injury, an in-prison offense by a second striker.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com.