A convicted felon who stored thousands of fentanyl pills, as well as large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin, for sale out of his Cherry Valley home was bound for state prison today to serve a 10-year sentence. Julio Cesar Castillo, 52, pleaded guilty in February to three counts of possession of controlled substances for
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A Desert Hot Springs man was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine to Connecticut, the Department of Justice announced. Victor Rodriguez-Gomez, 49, also known as “Calami,” was officially sentenced on Thursday to 156 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. On Dec. 4,
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Three Mexican men who were arrested in El Monte with more than 1 million fentanyl pills pleaded guilty today to a federal narcotics charge. At a hearing in Los Angeles federal court, the three defendants — all from Sinaloa, Mexico — entered their pleas to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent
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News Channel 3 and the Women Leaders Forum of the Coachella Valley held a town hall meeting earlier this month, “Combating the Fentanyl Crisis.” The event was hosted by News Channel 3 Anchor Karen Devine. Multiple panelists including professionals in healthcare, education, and law enforcement spoke at the town hall. They all shared the work they’ve
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A probationer who provided a fatal dose of fentanyl to a 15-year-old girl was sentenced today to 12 years in state prison. James Leon Dailey, 51, of Banning was arrested last July following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the death of the young girl, also of Banning. Dailey last week pleaded guilty
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Riverside University Health System announced today that its “One Life, One Heart” Poisoning and Overdose Awareness Walk will debut at three Riverside County locations, starting with Palm Desert on Wednesday. “Addressing substance use and overdoses is not just an individual health issue; it’s a community health issue,” Riverside County Supervisor Chuck Washington said in a
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News Channel 3 is spotlighting the challenges and solutions surrounding the fentanyl crisis in Coachella Valley. You can watch a Town Hall meeting moderated by anchor Karen Devine on Saturday, March 30 at 9 a.m. on KESQ News Channel 3. The Women Leaders Forum of the Coachella Valley held a town hall meeting earlier this
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A 53-year-old man who sold a lethal dose of fentanyl to a Temecula resident was bound for state prison today to serve an 11-year sentence after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Kevin Michael Bryant of Carlsbad pleaded guilty to the felony count Friday under a negotiated agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In
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A passenger in a ride-share taxi cab was arrested after Border Patrol agents discovered approximately $130,000 worth of fentanyl pills at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint on Wednesday. According to the agency, the incident occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m. That’s when a ride-share taxi driver with four passengers entered the inspection area of the U.S.
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Law enforcement officials seized more than 720,000 fentanyl pills in San Diego County last week, which were discovered inside a man’s vehicle in Alpine, the California Attorney General’s Office said today. The driver’s arrest and seizures of the drugs happened Friday as part of a joint operation conducted by federal and local law enforcement.
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A former sheriff’s correctional deputy who was allegedly caught carrying more than 100 pounds of fentanyl on Interstate 10 waived his preliminary hearing today, advancing his case on the docket without the prosecution having to present any evidence. Jorge Alberto Oceguera Rocha, 25, of Banning, is charged with transportation of controlled substances, possession of controlled
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A 26-year-old Joshua Tree man was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the fentanyl overdose of a 33-year-old last year. The investigation dates back to Nov. 2, 2022, when deputies responded to the death of Steven Lockhart of Yucca Valley. The death was determined to be an overdose, prompting the San Bernardino County
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Originally Published: 04 DEC 23 15:53 ET By Sam Fossum, CNN Washington (CNN) — US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday announced a new Counter-Fentanyl Strike Force to crack down on the illicit financial networks supporting the cartels and drug traffickers that help funnel the drug into the United States. The new strike force, part
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Valley Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz introduced legislation that he says would save lives by expanding access to opioid-reversal drugs, including Narcan, in schools. It’s called the “Helping Educators Respond to Overdoses” or ‘HERO Act.’ Ruiz and Congressman Adam Schiff co-authored the bill, which would also provide critical training for school staff.. and educate students on
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Two Los Angeles men who allegedly supplied fentanyl-laced pills and methamphetamine for a drug trafficking organization that used the darknet and encrypted messaging to sell narcotics to people in all 50 states are facing federal charges, officials announced today. The two-count indictment charges Omar Navia, 38, of South Los Angeles, and Adan Ruiz, 27, of
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A Cathedral City man suspected in the fentanyl poisoning death of a 22-year-old man on New Year’s Day last year re-entered a not guilty plea today to murder. Riley Jacob Hagar, 26, initially pleaded not guilty to the charge Sept. 2, 2022 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to court records. At the
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A Temecula man convicted of providing a fatal dose of fentanyl to a 26-year-old woman has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in Riverside County’s first fentanyl murder case to go before a jury. In August, Vicente David Romero, 34, was guilty of the murder count, as well as possession of controlled
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Nearly $10 million worth of drugs were seized over a two-day period last weekend at ports of entry in San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Calexico and Tecate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced today. CBP officers seized more than 2,000 pounds of methamphetamine fentanyl pills, cocaine and other drugs on Friday and Saturday, which the
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By JULIE WATSON Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — As overdose deaths continue at a record pace, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced a new government-wide strategy Thursday involving scores of agencies that will target the precursor materials used by traffickers to make fentanyl and other synthetic drugs. Under the plan, CBP will work with
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Border Patrol agents arrested two 18-year-old men allegedly found with over 99 pounds of fentanyl pills. According to USBP Chief Patrol Agent Gregory K. Bovino, the arrest happened during a traffic stop on Interstate 10 near the Coachella Valley. There was no word on exactly when and/or where the traffic stop occurred. We’ve reached out
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