During the months of September through November 2023, detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Narcotics Street Team developed information regarding a subject distributing fentanyl in Oxnard. During the ensuing investigation, detectives learned Jesus Vazquez-Zepeda was selling fentanyl from his residence located in the 2200 Block of East Pleasant Valley Road in Oxnard and that he had a felony Ventura County warrant for Burglary from an unrelated case.
On November 29, 2023, Vazquez-Zepeda was detained after he attempted to flee from detectives during the service of a search warrant at his residence. During the execution of the search warrant, Narcotics Detectives seized over six ounces of fentanyl, ten ounces of methamphetamine, an ounce of cocaine, brass knuckles, and a large amount of U.S. currency which were suspected proceeds from Vazquez-Zepeda’s illegal drug sales.
The total amount of fentanyl seized during this arrest was approximately 173 grams. As a point of reference, ingesting as little as two milligrams of fentanyl could be a potentially fatal amount. Therefore, this seizure had the potential of causing more than 8,500 fatal overdoses.
Ventura County, much like the rest of the United States, is dealing with an opioid related overdose epidemic. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Narcotics Units have focused our efforts on combatting the spread of these illicit narcotics by targeting the supply chain of individuals and criminal organizations responsible for the sales of these drugs within Ventura County. We actively work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to stem the tide of this epidemic.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is an active member of the County Opioid Abuse
Suppression Taskforce (COAST). We have partnered with Ventura County Behavioral Health in
a campaign to reduce overdoses and educate the public about the dangers of opioids and other
drugs. Comprehensive information can be found at www.VenturaCountyResponds.org.
Based on the investigation, Vazquez-Zepeda was arrested and booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility on various felony narcotics and weapon charges. Vazquez-Zepeda remains in custody with a court date of December 1, 2023. His bail has been set at $150,000.
|
