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Task Force Seizes 5K Fentanyl Pills After Overdose Reports
The 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 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.
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 fentanyl — which looks like a few grains of tion on suspicion of loitering with intent salt — is enough to kill an average adult to purchase drugs, while Colegrove was male. That potency makes it attractive for taken into custody on active warrants. drug traffickers, officials say, as a tiny bit Medina and his passenger were arrested can be used to stretch illicit street drugs on suspicion of possessing and transportor counterfeit pharmaceuticals. But if the ing a controlled substance for sale, child drug isn’t blended sparingly, thoroughly endangerment and conspiracy. and evenly, it can prove deadly. The task force asks anyone with infor-
Read more about local officials’ con- mation related to this investigation to call cerns about fentanyl in the Journal’s Feb. 267-9976. 6, 2020, cover story “Third Wave.” — Thadeus Greenson
Sloan was issued a misdemeanor cita- Posted 03.30.21 Read the full story online.
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