June 10, 2022 – Ventura County, Ca.
As evidence that the now common catch-phrase first heard in the 1970s-era movie Jaws “We’re going to need a bigger boat” might today be heard as “We’re going to need more narcs,” the obvious rise in the rate of fatal fentanyl overdoses throughout Ventura County has the Ventura County Sheriff’s Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit (PCU) and the VCSD Narcotics Street Team (NST) working overtime.
Case in point: VCSD patrol deputies rolled on a 911 Emergency drug overdose call on May 1, 2022 and arrived at an Erbes Road residence. According to VCSD spokesman Sgt. John Hajducko, once inside the home, deputies discovered “a subject who was deceased as the result of a fentanyl overdose.” As per what has become routine procedure, PCU detectives initiated an investigation into the source of the fatal drug. It didn’t take them long to identify 29-year-old Sherman Oaks, Ca. resident David Smith and 25-year-old North Hills, Ca. resident Adrian Alonso as suspects who provided the decedent with the fentanyl.
On June 1 st , VCSD’s Directed Enforcement Unit obtained a search warrant for Smith’s residence and promptly served it. Smith was taken into custody at that time and transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was booked on a charge of sales of a controlled substance, with his bail set at $50,000. He posted bond has been released “pending further court proceedings.”
Evidence gathered at the Smith residence led detectives to additionally identify Alonzo, who was contacted “at a motel” on June 9 th where he was found in possession of “quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine” and was promptly taken into custody. He was transported to Ventura County Jail where he was booked on charges of sales of a controlled substance and possession for sale of a dangerous drug. He remains in custody with his bail set at $50,000.
Photo: Courtesy www.nih.gov
