“Operation Crystal River” Dismantles Drug Trafficking Organizations
December 3, 2025 – Yuba County, CA – Yuba County Sheriff’s Office officials report that in July 2024, the 
Yuba County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), launched an investigation into Jose Garcia-Avalos of Yuba City, who was identified as a key distributor of large quantities of controlled substances throughout Yuba County and across California.
Over the course of a yearlong, comprehensive investigation, the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office and the DEA uncovered multiple drug trafficking organizations tied to Garcia-Avalos. These organizations were responsible for distributing significant quantities of narcotics sourced directly from the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
In October 2025, coordinated teams from several law enforcement agencies executed multiple federal search warrants simultaneously across Yuba, Sutter, and Butte counties. This coordinated operation resulted in the arrest of 14 individuals on federal drug trafficking charges.
The following individuals were indicted pursuant to this investigation:
Jose Garcia-Avalos, 36, of Yuba City
Octavio Hinojosa-Guzman, 43, of Yuba City
Elmer Montiel-Romero, 21, of Yuba City
Hector De Jesus, Mejia-Velasquez, 25, of Yuba City
Juan Munoz-Guzman, 28, of Yuba City
Leonel Abrego, 38, of Live Oak
Lloyd Steve Lister, 53, of Yuba City
Lyle Wayne Cooper, 53, of Olivehurst
Brandi Emerson, 32, of Marysville
Leon James Whiteley, 50, of Olivehurst
Brian Sedgwick, 63, of Marysville
Vanessa Flores-Gomez, 27, of Marysville
Jessica Pack, 36, of Weaverville
Coy Mobley, 53, of Weaverville
At the conclusion of the investigation, authorities had seized more than 500 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 135,000 counterfeit M-30 Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Investigators also located and dismantled a methamphetamine conversion laboratory operating in Southern California.
This joint operation underscores the ongoing commitment of local, state, and federal partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking networks and protect communities nationwide.
Source & photo: Yuba County Sheriff’s Office
