Photo: Evidence collected during arrest| Redding PD
Suspect Martin Cortez | Redding PD
Late on the night of April 13th, officers in Redding, California received a report of a male subject passed out in a running vehicle inside a local storage business. Upon arrival, officers identified the subject as 36-year-old Martin Cortez, previously of Modesto, California. The vehicle was parked next to an open storage unit, with items scattered about the area.
Further investigation revealed that the storage unit was rented by Cortez, and that there was drug paraphernalia in plain sight inside the vehicle and storage unit. Cortez was detained, and a search of the vehicle and storage unit resulted in the seizure of over 9 ounces of fentanyl and two firearms, one of which had the serial number scraped off, in violation of state law.
Cortez was subsequently arrested and booked at the Shasta County Jail on multiple charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of narcotics for sale, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The seizure of such a large quantity of fentanyl is a significant victory in the fight against the opioid epidemic, and officers credit the quick actions of the individual who reported the suspicious activity.
The Redding Police Department is urging anyone with information related to this incident or other drug-related activity to come forward. The department is committed to combating drug trafficking and reducing the harm caused by drug addiction in our community.
