U.S. Attorney Announces Law Enforcement Actions Directed At Fentanyl Trafficking In Santa Cruz County

SAN JOSE - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California has filed a series of federal criminal complaints charging three defendants with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl in Santa Cruz County, announced United States Attorney Ismail Ramsey and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. The complaints have been filed as part of a law enforcement operation focused on investigating and prosecuting fentanyl traffickers and illegal open-air fentanyl drug markets in the Santa Cruz area.

"The dramatic increase in the use of fentanyl in the last five years has destroyed countless lives in and around Santa Cruz County. We stand prepared to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to address the damage being done to our communities," said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. "We will seek to bring to justice the purveyors of this poison in our neighborhoods - if you are considering selling fentanyl in Santa Cruz, it is time to think again."

According to the filed criminal complaints, the distribution of fentanyl has fueled a dramatic increase in overdose deaths over the last years. According to these documents, 133 people died of fentanyl-related overdoses in Santa Cruz County in 2023. The County's population was approximately 261,547. By contrast, in 2019, Santa Cruz County experienced 5 fentanyl-related overdose deaths.

The defendants named in these complaints are Miguel Geronimo, 30, Jesus Nunez Martinez, 49, and Oscar Angel Alvarez, 28. A separate criminal complaint has been filed against each defendant.

According to the complaint filed against Geronimo, on May 1, 2024, shortly before noon, detectives from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office were patrolling the area of 115 Coral Street in Santa Cruz that is known to be a common drug-trafficking area. The detectives observed multiple persons entering and exiting a van, none spending more than a couple of minutes in the van. The deputies approached and allowed a drug-sniffing dog to circle the vehicle. The dog positively alerted to the van, indicating the presence of certain narcotics. In the van, the detectives encountered Geronimo, who was lying down in the back-passenger section of the van, and another person who was in the front passenger seat. Detectives searched the van and found approximately 86.6 grams of fentanyl, sales paraphernalia, and over $3,300 in cash. Geronimo is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to the complaint filed against Martinez, on February 9, 2024, detectives with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office spotted Martinez driving with a suspended driver's license and expired tags. The complaint alleges another deputy arrived with a drug-sniffing dog and allowed the dog to circle Martinez's vehicle. After the dog alerted the deputies to the presence of drugs, deputies searched the car. The complaint details that the investigating deputies found various items, including a distributable amount of actual methamphetamine, sales paraphernalia, and over $750 in cash in the vehicle. Furthermore, more than a month later, on March 29, 2024, sheriff's detectives conducted a traffic stop on Martinez for failing to stop at a stop sign. Another search of Martinez's car resulted in the seizure of additional drugs, sales paraphernalia, and over $400 in cash. On this occasion, Martinez possessed a distributable amount of fentanyl and carfentanil, a fentanyl analogue and synthetic opioid that is approximately 100 times more potent than fentanyl. Martinez is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, carfentanil, and methamphetamine.

According to the complaint filed against Alvarez, the defendant was found in possession of various controlled substances, including fentanyl, in the early morning of February 5, 2024. More specifically, the complaint describes how a sheriff's deputy was patrolling the area of the 500 block of Water Street in Santa Cruz-an area known for drug trafficking, drug use, and other crime. At approximately 4:12AM, the deputy spotted Alvarez outside the main office of a motel, wearing two backpacks. The deputy approached Alvarez, who claimed he was trying to get a room, although the lobby of the hotel was empty, and Alvarez walked away from the hotel lobby and to the rear of the motel. A later search of Alvarez and the backpacks revealed more than 15 baggies of suspected drugs packaged for sales and more than $2,500 cash. After subsequent testing, the substances in Alvarez's possession were found to include more than 150 grams of fentanyl, over 95 grams of methamphetamine, and more than 50 grams of cocaine. Additionally, according to the complaint, Alvarez was found with approximately 54.4 grams of p-Fluorofentanyl and 27.781 grams of methamphetamine HCL during a traffic stop on May 29, 2024. Alvarez has been charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, on February 5, 2024.

In sum, if convicted, the defendants face the following charges:

A criminal complaint merely alleges a crime has been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The three criminal complaints were filed by the U.S. Attorney in partnership with the DEA and based on the invaluable work of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office. The complaints were unsealed in conjunction with proactive law enforcement action by the DEA, Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, and other federal and local partners to address the growing use of fentanyl in Santa Cruz County. On July 11, 2024, federal and local law enforcement collaborated in a joint street enforcement operation focusing on the open-air fentanyl markets in the Santa Cruz area. This enforcement activity resulted in the seizure of fentanyl, a ghost gun, ammunition, and multiple arrests by state authorities of persons possessing drugs for sale.

Martinez made his initial federal court appearance to face the charges on July 15, 2024, before the Hon. Virginia K. DeMarchi, United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of California. Martinez was temporarily ordered detained, and a detention hearing in his case is set for July 19, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at the United States District Court in San Jose. Neither Alvarez nor Geronimo have made their initial appearances on the above-listed federal charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny E. James, Jr., Jeffrey A. Backhus, and Sarah Griswold are prosecuting the cases with assistance from Elise Etter, Susan Kreider, and Lynette Dixon. These prosecutions are the result investigations by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office and the DEA, with operational assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Santa Cruz Police Department. The U.S. Attorney's Office thanks the Office of the Santa Cruz County District Attorney for its cooperation in bringing the federal prosecutions of these defendants.