Undercover Heroin Sting: 2 From East Bay Arrested In Napa County

NAPA COUNTY, CA — Two East Bay transients were arrested this week in Napa County on suspicion of possession and transportation of heroin following an investigation into a Craigslist ad listing the "black tar" variation of the drug for sale, an official with the Napa Special Investigations Bureau said Wednesday.

"An undercover NSIB detective began negotiating with the heroin dealer to purchase heroin from him in American Canyon," NSIB Lt. Gary Pitkin said in a news release.

The dealer reportedly agreed to meet the detective in a commercial parking lot in the 7000 block of Main Street and told the detective he would be driving a silver Audi.

At the agreed upon time, detectives watched as a silver Audi with three men inside arrived and parked next to the undercover detective's car, Pitkin said.

NSIB detectives made their move, detaining the driver and two passengers without incident, the lieutenant said.

In a search of the car and the three men, detectives allegedly recovered heroin possessed for sale, a digital scale used to weigh the heroin for sale, and additional evidence of heroin sales.

The right-front passenger, identified as 27-year-old Oakland transient Deion Gilman, and the backseat passenger, identified as 29-year-old Concord transient Nathan Jones, were both placed under arrest at that time.

Gilman and Jones were each booked into Napa County Department of Corrections on suspicion of three felonies: possession of heroin for sale, transportation of heroin and conspiracy to commit a criminal act.
According to Pitkin, a judge has since released Gilman and Jones on their own recognizance.

"The driver, a 22–year old Fairfield resident, was not arrested and will not be named unless arrested or charged," Pitkin said. "The case against the driver will be presented to the Napa County District Attorney's Office, who will determine whether he will be charged with heroin sales-related offenses."

Photo credit: Alex Segre/Shutterstock.com