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Task Force Seizes 5K Fentanyl Pills After Overdose Reports
T
he Humboldt County Drug Task Force reported March 30 that it had made a handful of arrests and seized more than 5,000 counterfeit Percocet pills containing fentanyl after a weeks-long investigation initiated after multiple fentanyl overdoses were reported in the Hoopa Valley. According to a press release, the investigation started March 5 when a Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy working in the Trinity Valley reported to the task force a potential overdose death attributed to pills known on the street as “perc30,” which were allegedly being sold by Christian “Punky” Colegrove, 23, and a 17 year old. A little more than a week later, a 13 year old reportedly overdosed after taking the same pills but was revived when responding officers used Narcan. The investigation reportedly led to Anthony Dion Medina, 24, of Eureka, who was allegedly picking up “large quantities” of pills in the San Jose area and then selling them in Humboldt County. After a surveillance operation, task force agents reported observing Medina returning from
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a trip to San Jose along State Route 299 when he stopped in Willow Creek to meet Colegrove and Warren “Pops” Sloan, 23. Agents contacted the men and served a seach warrant on Medina’s vehicle and reported finding a total of 5,002 “perc30” fentanyl pills. A passenger and an infant were also in Medina’s vehicle, according to the press release. When agents served a search warrant at Medina’s residence in Eureka, they reported finding a number of firearms — including a 9 mm “ghost gun” with a 30-round magazine drum — and more than 8 grams of cocaine. Local officials have become increasingly concerned about fentanyl locally, as it has been linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths, following a national trend. After being found in one overdose victim locally in each 2016, 2017 and 2018, the coroner’s office found fentanyl in at least seven of the county’s 46 overdose deaths in 2019. “Something changed,” Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Sam Williams told the Journal last year. “It’s a marked difference.”
More COVID-19 Deaths: Two more Humboldt County residents — both in their 80s — died after being diagnosed with COVID-19 this week, bringing the county’s death toll to 36. Amid declining case numbers and the steady ramping up of vaccination efforts, the deaths offer a sobering reminder that the pandemic remains far from over. Posted 03.29.21
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Fentanyl is considered to be especially dangerous because of its potency. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, a lethal dose of heroin is generally considered to be roughly 30 Fentanyl pills, firearms and cocaine seized after a weeks-long Humboldt milligrams, while County Drug Task Force investigation. Submitted a 3-milligram dose of fention on suspicion of loitering with intent tanyl — which looks like a few grains of to purchase drugs, while Colegrove was salt — is enough to kill an average adult taken into custody on active warrants. male. That potency makes it attractive for Medina and his passenger were arrested drug traffickers, officials say, as a tiny bit on suspicion of possessing and transportcan be used to stretch illicit street drugs ing a controlled substance for sale, child or counterfeit pharmaceuticals. But if the endangerment and conspiracy. drug isn’t blended sparingly, thoroughly The task force asks anyone with inforand evenly, it can prove deadly. mation related to this investigation to call Read more about local officials’ concerns about fentanyl in the Journal’s Feb. 267-9976. 6, 2020, cover story “Third Wave.” — Thadeus Greenson Sloan was issued a misdemeanor citaPosted 03.30.21 Read the full story online.
Unemployment Woes: The state of California’s unemployment trust fund, beleaguered by a pandemic and rampant fraud, has run out of money, which economists attribute to an outdated tax system that has gone largely untouched for the last four decades. So far, the state has borrowed $21.2 billion to keep benefits flowing. Read more at www.northcoastjournal.com. Posted 03.30.21
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Volunteers Needed: Expecting a steep increase in the number of vaccine doses being allocated to Humboldt County in the coming weeks, officials are seeking local volunteers to give the vaccination effort a shot in the arm, so to speak. To find out how to help, email eoclogistics@co.humboldt.ca.us or call 3682504 for more information. Posted 03.29.21
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Digitally Speaking
They Said It
Comment of the Week
The amount in millions of dollars that Humboldt County has spent on the local COVID-19 response to date, from building testing capacity and communications infrastructure to the vaccination rollout. Posted 03.29.21
“Growing public food in common space is an important step toward our goal to return Humboldt County to the regenerative, life-sustaining food forest and ecological haven that it once was.”
“Expecting officers to refrain from using dehumanizing and violent rhetoric regarding the public they are sworn to serve and protect is not an unrealistic expectation.”
— Cooperation Humboldt Food Team Anchor Tamara McFarland, announcing the consecration ceremony for the Arcata Community Health and Wellness Garden (11th and F streets) as a sanctuary for all people. Posted 03.26.21
— Robyn Moreno commenting on the Journal’s Facebook page on a post about a story headlined “Abhorrent” in last week’s Journal about the Eureka Police Department’s text messaging scandal. Read more at www.northcoastjournal.com. Posted 03.25.21 northcoastjournal.com • Thursday, April 1, 2021 • NORTH COAST JOURNAL
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