Santa Clara Co. Sheriff's search for escaped inmates continues

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office conducted numerous raids across the South Bay on Tuesday, looking for the two inmates who escaped from their jail last week.

The operation started around noon on Inman Way between Waverly Avenue and Cunningham Avenue.

Sheriff's deputies blocked off surrounding streets to vehicular traffic, telling neighbors to stay in their homes.

Members of the sheriff's swat team surrounded a trailer parked on the street. A mobile command post was set up. Nearby schools were on lockdown.

Elizabeth Cerna's aunt was babysitting her one-year-old at her home on the same block.

"They said there's a man from the jailbreak, so they said it could be him, so, I freaked out and left work right away," said Cerna.

The Sheriff's office says deputies were following up on Tuesday on tips from the public. Most were received after the announcement of a $20,000 reward.

"We actively conducted numerous operations throughout the city, hitting various high value targets of associates of Rogelio Chavez," explained Sgt. Rich Glennon, with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department.

After about an hour-and-a-half, the SWAT team was ready to move in. First, they smashed windows with a poker. Then, they stuck a camera inside the trailer. A short while later, a deputy yelled out a warning and then set off a flash-bang.

It turned out, no one was in the trailer.

The Sheriff's office declined to say if Rogelio Chavez had been the target. But they did confirm that this person arrested Monday at a raid at the Days Inn in Gilroy is Emily Vaca. She's charged with helping Chavez by driving him around after he escaped from jail.

Rogelio Chavez, 33, of San Jose, and Laron Desean, 26, escaped from the Santa Clara County Main Jail on Thanksgiving Eve.