Los Angeles Man Charged With Selling Fentanyl on Social Media

By Redaccion
[email protected]

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Ronald Jelaniwarren Joseph, 24, of Woodland Hills, faces six felony counts related to the possession and sale of fentanyl, as well as the illegal possession of a firearm. Prosecutors have also filed special allegations, including possession of a large quantity of contraband and a prior strike offense.

Joseph pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment.

According to investigators from the Ventura County Fentanyl and Overdose Crimes Units (VC FOCUS), Joseph allegedly used social media platforms to advertise and sell fentanyl-laced pills. Through undercover operations and surveillance, detectives determined that he had established a customer base in Ventura County.

Joseph was arrested on Nov. 12, 2024, in Newbury Park while attempting a narcotics transaction, officials said. A subsequent search warrant at his Woodland Hills apartment led to the seizure of more than 1,000 counterfeit M-30 pills and a handgun.

Authorities said Joseph is a convicted felon, a documented gang member, and was on active parole at the time of his arrest.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Audry Nafziger, a member of VC FOCUS and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Major Crimes Narcotics Unit, is prosecuting the case.

Joseph is scheduled for an early disposition conference on March 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He is currently out on bail after posting $100,000.

VC FOCUS is a multi-agency task force that includes regional law enforcement agencies, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and federal partners. The task force is focused on reducing fentanyl-related crimes and opioid overdoses by identifying drug suppliers and criminal organizations operating in Ventura County.

Officials warn that fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid, up to 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times more powerful than heroin. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates that six out of ten counterfeit pills seized nationwide contain fentanyl, making them a serious public health threat.

Counterfeit M-30 (Oxycodone) pills, often laced with fentanyl, have been linked to numerous fatal and non-fatal overdoses in Ventura County, authorities said. These pills, which resemble legitimate prescription medications, are mass-produced by drug cartels and distributed throughout the United States for profit.

VC FOCUS has partnered with Ventura County Behavioral Health and the County Overdose Awareness & Solutions Team (COAST) to educate the public about the dangers of opioids. More information on local efforts to combat fentanyl abuse is available at ThinkAgainVC.com.