Sacramento County Authorities Reportedly Arrest Two in Connection to Alleged Large-Scale Narcotics Sales
Above: Items confiscated during searches | Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrests of two gang members and the seizure of weapons and narcotics as part of a multi-agency investigation.
In a press release issued the morning of Monday, March 13, the Sheriff’s Office detailed the investigation and its results.
Detectives with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) had obtained information that two gang members in the area were allegedly involved in the “mass distribution” of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.
The Sheriff’s Office identified the gang members as Roberto Sarabia (34) and Jesus Salas (28), both of whom authorities say are validated gang members.
Following an extensive investigation, investigators secured a search warrant for three residential locations affiliated with the suspects, the Sheriff’s Office said.
On Thursday, February 16, GSU detectives, with help from the Sheriff’s Office SED and Sacramento PD SWAT officers, executed the warrants at the three locations.
Authorities discovered and ultimately confiscated approximately 80 pounds of methamphetamine, five pounds of cocaine, 100 suspected M30 fentanyl pills, a .40 caliber glock, two FN 5.7 handguns, around $12,000 in cash, and around $6,000 in counterfeit cash.
Both Sarabia and Salas were arrested and booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail on several firearm and narcotic charges.
Sarabia’s bail was set at $200,000. He later posted bond and was released. Salas reportedly remains in custody on $1 million bail.
Both are scheduled to appear in court on the morning of April 12, the Sheriff’s Office said.
According to the California Department of Public Health, over 71,000 people died from overdoses related to synthetic opioids in 2021, per provisional data from the CDC. Of these, fentanyl has been a major contributor. In California in 2021, there were over 6,800 opioid-related overdose deaths, and 5,722 of these were related to fentanyl.
The CDPH also cautions the public that any pill obtained from anyone other than a health care provider or a pharmacist has the potential to contain fentanyl.
