PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – As festival season kicks off, College of the Desert is stepping up efforts to prevent overdose deaths by providing free safety kits equipped with Narcan and Fentanyl test strips to students. The initiative started earlier this year. Carlos Maldonado, Interim Dean of Students Support Services, said the goal is simple:
Continue Reading
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KESQ) – In a move to combat substance use, the City Council today called for a new pilot program for the distribution of naloxone, an opioid reversal medication, in South Los Angeles neighborhoods. In a 10-0 vote, council members instructed the chief legislative analyst to report on the resources such a
Continue Reading
BOISE, Idaho (KESQ) – A Riverside County man convicted of a fentanyl overdose death in Idaho was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, authorities announced. Brian Arthur Goodale, 56, of Lake Elsinore pled guilty to distributing fentanyl. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay restitution to the family of the
Continue Reading
At least one child tested positive for fentanyl after ingesting “mystery” pills found in a classroom at a Victorville childcare facility. The incident happened Tuesday at the La Petite Academy. “La Petite staff located/collected the pills and immediately notified law enforcement. The responding deputy recognized the blue pills with “M30” imprinted on them as possible
Continue Reading
A Rancho Cucamonga woman was arrested after a 10-year-old child died from fentanyl and xylazine toxicity, authorities said. The incident happened in December 2024 in Rancho Cucamonga. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to a 911 call regarding an unresponsive, 10-year-old child. Despite life-saving efforts, the child was later pronounced dead.
Continue Reading
MORENO VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is continuing the crackdown on illegal drugs, including fentanyl, from entering the county’s jail system. In December 2024, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Gang Intelligence Unit and Corrections Central Investigations Unit opened an investigation into inmates and members of the public smuggling narcotics into the
Continue Reading
NOTE in this same story on Wednesday, there was no mention of an objection from the District Attorney’s Office because confirmation of last week’s proceedings by the agency DID NOT include any reference to an objection on the record. The D.A.’s office, however, NOW SAYS the prosecution did in fact make one. The story below
Continue Reading
A former active-duty lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps pleaded guilty today in downtown Los Angeles to a felony drug offense for his actions involving a 2020 fentanyl transaction that resulted in the death of another U.S. Marine. Anthony Ruben Whisenant, 24, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to the use of a
Continue Reading
A 42-year-old Palm Desert woman accused of selling fentanyl that led to a man’s death must stand trial on a felony count of murder, a judge ruled Wednesday. Tiffany Wright is due back in court on Feb. 5. Wright was arrested on May 3, 2022 by personnel from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Overdose
Continue Reading
After pleading guilty in federal court to distributing narcotics causing death, Marshall Juarez Pena of Cathedral City was sentenced on Friday to 20 years in federal prison, 3 years probation upon release, and pay restitution to the family of the victim. The case dates back to February 5, 2023, when a 33 year old man
Continue Reading
More than 215 pounds of fentanyl pills were found concealed in a vehicle attempting to cross into the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said today. The pills were found in 30 packages hidden inside various parts of an SUV stopped by CBP officers just before
Continue Reading
The Los Angeles City Council voted 12-0 today to explore a pilot program to distribute fentanyl detection devices to residents at no cost. Council members voted to instruct the Office of Procurement and relative departments to report on such a program funded by the city’s opioid settlement account. Council members Monica Rodriguez and Hugo Soto-Martinez
Continue Reading
A 24-year-old man was in custody today after being sentenced to 48 months of probation and 120 days behind bars for supplying a fatal dose of fentanyl to his 17-year-old girlfriend near Desert Hot Springs. Michael Garcia entered guilty pleas on Sept. 10 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio to felony counts of willful
Continue Reading
Border Patrol officers at the Calexico West Port of Entry seized more than 100 pounds of fentanyl pills found hidden in a vehicle. The discovery was made on Friday. According to Border Patrol, CBP officers encountered a 26-year-old man driving a red sedan seeking entry into the United States from Mexico. After initial inspection, CBP
Continue Reading
Border Patrol agents discovered approximately 122 pounds of blue fentanyl pills hidden throughout a vehicle at the Calexico West Port of Entry last week. The discovery took place last Wednesday. At around 10:05 p.m., CBP officers encountered a 47-year-old man driving a gray sedan who was applying for admission into the United States from Mexico.
Continue Reading
A boost in California National Guard troops at the southern border, including in San Diego County, helped authorities seize over nine million fentanyl pills and over 5,000 pounds of fentanyl powder since the beginning of the year, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced today. Last fall, Newsom announced that the number of service members would be
Continue Reading
Border Patrol officers seized approximately 120 pounds of blue fentanyl pills concealed in a vehicle at the Calexico port of entry. The fentanyl was found when on the afternoon of Monday, Sept. 16. A 27-year-old woman driving a white sedan went through the port’s vehicle SENTRI lane. CBP officers conducted an initial inspection and referred
Continue Reading
An Oct. 29 trial date was confirmed today for a young man accused with a cohort of supplying a lethal dose of fentanyl to a 16-year-old French Valley girl. Jeremiah David Carlton, 21, of Canyon Lake is accused in the death of the teenager, identified in court documents only as “J.G.” Carlton is charged with
Continue Reading
Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — In 2019, Brandon McDowell was contacted by a sophomore in college who asked to buy Percocet, a prescription painkiller. What the 20-year-old sold her instead were counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid that can be lethal in a dose as small as 2 milligrams. Hours later,
Continue Reading
A 23-year-old man pleaded guilty today to multiple charges for giving a fatal dose of fentanyl to his 17-year-old girlfriend in an unincorporated area near Desert Hot Springs two years ago. Michael Garcia entered guilty pleas at the Larson Justice Center in Indio to felony counts of willful child cruelty and giving a minor a
Continue Reading