July 1, 2023 - Ventura County Sheriff's Office officials report that on June 27, 2023, deputies with Camarillo Patrol Services located a vehicle parked at a business in the 1600 block of Daily Drive in Camarillo.  A male subject, who was associated with the vehicle, left the area when he saw police and was not located.

The next day, deputies with the Camarillo Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) checked the area and saw a male subject grabbing items from inside the vehicle.  Deputies contacted the male who was identified as Jeremiah Rangel.  During the contact, Brian Maldonado was also associated with the vehicle.  Both subjects were detained on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance.

As the investigation unfolded, detectives learned the subjects were renting a nearby hotel room and were suspected to be involved in the sales of narcotics.

Detectives with the Camarillo Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) authored a warrant for the search of the hotel room and the vehicle.  Detectives with DEU, SEU, and Ventura County Fentanyl Overdose and Crimes Units (VCFOCUS) served the search warrant.

During the search, detectives located three large “bricks” of what was suspected to be a controlled substance. 

During the search, deputies located approximately 12,000 Oxycodone pills and five pounds of fentanyl.  Preliminary testing of the narcotics confirmed the narcotics were indeed fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as an analgesic (pain relief) and anesthetic. It is approximately one hundred times more potent than morphine and fifty times more potent than heroin. Unfortunately, it is highly addictive and extremely deadly when used in its illicit forms.  Chemicals involved in producing illicit fentanyl are being mass produced overseas and imported into the United States through organized crime syndicates and cartels.  Ventura County law enforcement is regularly seizing fentanyl in bulk and in pill form in the county. 

According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, fraudulent prescription Oxycodone pills, such as the ones seized from Rangel and Maldonado, typically contain .02 to 5.1 milligrams of fentanyl per tablet and a potentially lethal dose of Fentanyl is 2 milligrams.

The amount of fentanyl seized was over 2,330,000 times the lethal dose amount of 2 milligrams.

The fentanyl crisis has affected all corners of the United States to include public figures such as professional athletes, musicians, actors, and tens of thousands of regular citizens in all walks of life. Despite collaborative countermeasures, we have also seen a continuous increase in both fatal and non-fatal fentanyl overdoses in Ventura County. Our county has experienced an increase in fentanyl related overdose deaths from 87 in 2020, to 181 in 2022. 

Nature of Incident: Arrests Made in Possession of Fentanyl for Sales Investigation

Report Number: 23-82281

Location: 1600 block of Daily Drive, Camarillo

Date & Time: 06/28/2023 @ 10:35AM

Unit(s) Responsible: Camarillo Patrol Services, Camarillo Directed Enforcement Unit Camarillo Special Enforcement Unit, Ventura County Fentanyl and Overdose Crimes Units (VCFOCUS)

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime.  The caller may remain anonymous.  The call is not recorded.  Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Source & photo: Ventura County Sheriff's Office