By Redacción
redaccion@latinocc.com
A Ventura County judge has ruled that accused drug dealer Rodney Rey Yanez will stand trial for the second-degree murder of Dylan Rusch, marking the county’s first fentanyl-related murder prosecution.
The decision came after a four-day preliminary hearing where 16 witnesses, including a firefighter paramedic and narcotics experts, testified.
“This case marks an important step in our ongoing efforts to hold drug dealers accountable for the deadly consequences of fentanyl,” said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who profit from this poison and pursue justice for victims and their families.”
Yanez, 55, is accused of selling fentanyl to Rusch, who fatally overdosed at a gas station restroom in Oxnard on September 20, 2023. In addition to the murder charge, Yanez faces nine felony counts and four misdemeanors related to drug possession and sales.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Audry Nafziger, from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Major Crimes Narcotics Unit, is prosecuting the case.
“We believe the evidence in this case is compelling and fully supports the judge’s findings,” Nafziger said. “We are prepared and eager to present this case to a jury at trial.”
Deadly Overdose Leads to Landmark Case
According to prosecutors, Yanez allegedly sold fentanyl to Rusch at the Oxnard gas station where the victim worked. Shortly after the transaction, Rusch overdosed in the restroom. Responding officers and emergency personnel attempted CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Toxicology reports confirmed a lethal level of fentanyl in his system.
Yanez was arrested by the Oxnard Police Department on July 24, 2024, following an investigation into his alleged drug distribution activities. Authorities claim that over a 14-month period before Rusch’s death, Yanez was involved in multiple drug-related offenses, including the possession and transportation of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other narcotics.
Fentanyl Crisis in Ventura County
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid estimated to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, has been a leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States.
In Ventura County, fentanyl-related fatalities have risen sharply. In 2024, the Ventura County Medical Examiner reported 200 overdose deaths, with fentanyl detected in 113 cases. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has vowed to aggressively prosecute individuals involved in the sale and distribution of the drug.
Trial Proceedings and Public Safety Efforts
Yanez remains in custody at the Ventura County Main Jail with bail set at $1 million. He is scheduled to return to court on April 10, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court for arraignment.
Authorities urge the public to educate themselves about the dangers of fentanyl and available resources for addiction treatment and overdose prevention. More information can be found at ThinkAgainVC.com.
