On June 30, 2022, Sergeant Jose Barrientos began working with detectives from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Task Force (ACNTF) regarding a Fentanyl investigation.
The sheriff’s detective provided information about a load of Fentanyl coming through Barstow. He provided a description of the suspect’s vehicle, a red 2014 Toyota Camry, and the license plate number. He informed the sergeant that the vehicle was in route to Barstow via the I15 Northbound freeway.
Barstow Police Officers conducted surveillance of all the I15 Northbound exits that access the City of Barstow.
On June 30, 2022 at approximately 12:21 A.M., officers spotted the red Camry exiting I15 at Hwy 58 and conducted a traffic enforcement stop. The officers identified the driver as 27-year-old Oscar Josue Hernandez Escoto and the two passengers as 36- year-old Jose Raul Hernandez Avila and 24-year-old Osman Dominguez. All three told officers that they were from Honduras.
Officers obtained a search warrant to conduct a thorough search of the vehicle. Officers located approximately twenty (20) pounds of blue Fentanyl pills packaged in plastic bags. Detectives estimated the street value of this quantity of Fentanyl at $350,000.
Officers placed all three suspects under arrest and transported them to the Barstow Police Department. All three suspects were later booked at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Jail for H&S 11351 (a) – Possession of Fentanyl for Sale and H&S 11352(a) – Transportation of Fentanyl with Intent to Sell.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation may contact Officer Moises Contreras at (760) 256-2211 or at [email protected].
Those wishing to remain anonymous may also provide information by calling the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-79-CRIME (27469) or by going to www.wetip.com.
Note:
Last week in Tulare County, Tulare County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (HIDTA) found 150 packages, each of 1,000 Fentanyl pills. In total, 150,000 pills were found hidden inside the vehicle. Each pill sells for approximately $5, making the street value of the seizure $750,000 — full story
