Feds: Street drug dealers are selling elephant tranquilizer in Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON) — Federal prosecutors teamed up with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office to remove suspected fentanyl traffickers from the beachside community.

Several arrests were made in hot spots for illicit drug dealing and drug use. Hot spots included the sidewalk outside a homeless shelter at 115 Coral Street, and the 500 block of Water Street, prosecutors said.

The crackdown resulted in the arrests of three alleged fentanyl dealers identified as: Miguel Geronimo, 30, Jesus Nunez Martinez, 49, and Oscar Angel Alvarez, 28.

“The impacts we've seen from fentanyl in our community have been devastating and unlike any drug I've seen in my 36 years in law enforcement,” said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart. “The surge in overdose deaths has shattered families and left us facing an unprecedented public health crisis. By establishing our Fentanyl Task Force and forming these crucial partnerships with state and federal agencies, we are dedicated to holding those who distribute this poison accountable.”

Investigators said Martinez was selling fentanyl and carfentanil, a synthetic opioid that is approximately 100 times more potent than fentanyl, and 10,000 times more potent than morphine.

Carfentanil is used as a tranquilizing agent for elephants and other very large mammals, the Drug Enforcement Administration said. The emergence of Carfentanil in illicit open-air drug markets poses a significant threat — even users with high tolerance to opioids could fatally overdose, the DEA said.

DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark said, “DEA will do everything in our power to prevent those peddling poison in Santa Cruz from destroying more lives.”

In 2019, five people in Santa Cruz County died from fentanyl overdoses. In 2023, the number spiked to 133 victims, federal investigators said.

According to a criminal complaint filed against Geronimo:

On May 1, detectives from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office were patrolling the area of 115 Coral Street in Santa Cruz that is known to be a common drug-trafficking area. The detectives watched men entering and exiting a van, none spending more than a couple of minutes in the van. In the van, the detectives encountered Geronimo, who was lying down in the back-passenger section of the van. Detectives searched the van and found approximately 86.6 grams of fentanyl, sales paraphernalia, and $3,300 in cash. Geronimo was charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to the a criminal complaint filed against Martinez:

On February 9, detectives with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office spotted Martinez driving with a suspended driver's license and expired tags. Deputies found various items, including a distributable amount of methamphetamine, sales paraphernalia, and over $750 in cash in the vehicle. On March 29, detectives conducted a traffic stop on Martinez for failing to stop at a stop sign. Another search of Martinez's car resulted in the seizure of fentanyl and carfentanil. Martinez is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, carfentanil, and methamphetamine.

According to a criminal complaint filed against Alvarez:

Around 4 a.m. on February 5, a sheriff's deputy was patrolling the area of the 500 block of Water Street in Santa Cruz — an area known for drug trafficking, drug use, and other crime. The deputy spotted Alvarez outside the main office of a motel wearing two backpacks. Alvarez claimed he was trying to get a room, although the lobby of the hotel was empty. A search of Alvarez and the backpacks revealed more than 15 baggies of suspected drugs packaged for sales and $2,500 cash. After subsequent testing, the substances in Alvarez's possession were found to include more than 150 grams of fentanyl, over 95 grams of methamphetamine, 50 grams of cocaine. During another traffic stop on May 29, Alvarez was in possession of 54.4 grams of p-Fluorofentanyl and 27.781 grams of methamphetamine HCL. Alvarez was charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.

If convicted of the federal charges filed against them:

• Geronimo faces 20 years of imprisonment; maximum lifetime of supervised release (minimum term of 3 years of supervised release); $1 million fine.
• Martinez faces 40 years of imprisonment (mandatory minimum of 5 years of imprisonment); maximum lifetime supervised release (mandatory minimum of 4 years of supervised release); $5 million fine.
• Alvarez faces 40 years of imprisonment (mandatory minimum of 5 years of imprisonment); maximum lifetime of supervised release (mandatory  minimum 4 years of supervised release); $5,000,000 fine.

Martinez made his initial federal court appearance to face the charges on July 15 before Judge DeMarchi, United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of California. Martinez was temporarily ordered detained, and a detention hearing in his case is set for July 19 in United States District Court in San Jose.

The three cases are the result investigations by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office and the DEA, with operational assistance from the FBI and the Santa Cruz Police Department. The U.S. Attorney's Office thanked the Office of the Santa Cruz County District Attorney for its cooperation in bringing the federal prosecutions of these defendants.

“The dramatic increase in the use of fentanyl in the last five years has destroyed countless lives in and around Santa Cruz County. We stand prepared to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to address the damage being done to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey. “We will seek to bring to justice the purveyors of this poison in our neighborhoods – if you are considering selling fentanyl in Santa Cruz, it is time to think again.”

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