In a shocking revelation, a former deputy of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department in California, Jorge Oceguera-Rocha, has been indicted on two felony charges.
The 25-year-old former law enforcement officer is accused of possessing and transporting over 100 pounds of the potent opioid, Fentanyl. The charges were brought against him on Monday, with prosecutors suggesting potential links to a Mexican drug cartel.
According to USA Today, Oceguera-Rocha is facing one felony count each of possessing Fentanyl for sale and transporting narcotics. An additional charge of being armed with a firearm during a drug offense has been leveled against him, which could potentially increase his prison term if he is found guilty.
Following his arrest on September 17, Oceguera-Rocha tendered his resignation. He pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Monday in Banning, a city approximately 80 miles from Los Angeles.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department, in a statement released on September 21, detailed the circumstances leading to Oceguera-Rocha's arrest. The statement read, "A traffic stop was conducted on Interstate 10 at County Line Road, in Calimesa by a deputy from the SIB Domestic Highway Enforcement Team." The stop was the culmination of an investigation into Oceguera-Rocha.
The statement further revealed that a K9 unit alerted officers to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A subsequent search led to the discovery of "more than 100 pounds of packaged Fentanyl pills (M30s)" and a loaded handgun. Oceguera-Rocha was arrested and booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center.
The Sheriff's Department also clarified that Oceguera-Rocha was not smuggling narcotics into the Riverside County jail system, contrary to previous unverified news reports.
In light of Oceguera-Rocha's potential ties to a Mexican drug network, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department requested an increase in his bail to $5 million, citing concerns about him being a flight risk.
Investigator Joshua Ricard, in an affidavit, disclosed that intercepted phone calls on September 16 revealed Oceguera-Rocha's intention to visit an "identified narcotic stash location" in Victorville. Surveillance on the day led to his eventual arrest during a traffic stop in Banning.
The affidavit detailed the discovery of "four trash bags all containing square shaped (packages) wrapped in clear cellophane" in the trunk of Oceguera-Rocha's vehicle. These packages, upon inspection, were found to contain "a bulk quantity of blue Fentanyl laced M30 pills."
The seized narcotics, weighing over 100 pounds and comprising approximately 520,000 pills, were confirmed to be Fentanyl. A loaded handgun was also found in a bag in the back seat of the vehicle.
The affidavit underscored the lethal potential of the seized drugs, stating, "Your affiant estimates the quantity he was in possession of at the time of his arrest is enough to kill approximately 2 million people."
Despite the gravity of the charges, authorities do not believe Oceguera-Rocha was dealing drugs while on duty or within the jails where he previously worked in transportation.
If convicted, Oceguera-Rocha could face a prison term of up to 10 years. The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and the devastating impact of Fentanyl on communities across the nation.
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