Large Amount Of Fentanyl, Heroin, Meth, Cash Seized: Police

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A Santa Rosa man is being held in lieu of $1 million bail following his arrest in connection with one of the largest fentanyl seizures to date by Sonoma County law enforcement.

Ulises Sandoval-Rivera, 35, was taken into custody around 2 p.m. Thursday near his residence on Santa Ana Drive in southeast Santa Rosa by detectives who'd secured search warrants for his residence and cars, police said in a news release.

Detectives then searched his home and three vehicles, seizing approximately $25,000 cash and more than 22 pounds of drugs:

• 16 baggies containing over 16 pounds of suspected methamphetamine
• 15 baggies containing 3.25 pounds of suspected fentanyl
• 97 baggies containing 2.8 pounds of suspected red rock heroin

"To date, the seizure of over 3 pounds of Fentanyl is one of the largest seizures for law enforcement in Sonoma County," Santa Rosa police Sgt. Brian Boettger said. "There were also items of evidence located and seized that are indicative to drug trafficking. These items include clean and unused packaging, large digital scales, food saver machines, pay & owe ledgers, and multiple cell phones."

Sandoval-Rivera was booked Thursday into Sonoma County jail on suspicion of possession for sale and transportation of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl. He remained in custody Monday in lieu of $1 million bail, according to sheriff's jail records.

Santa Rosa Police Department's Narcotics Team began investigating Sandoval-Rivera in December for possible drug trafficking. Sandoval-Rivera was suspected of selling fentanyl and "Red Rock" heroin — a mixture of black tar heroin and fentanyl — in the city of Santa Rosa and surrounding Sonoma County areas, police said.

Coincidently, police said, Sandoval-Rivera was released from Sonoma County jail in December after serving time related to a previous drug trafficking charge.

At the time of his arrest Thursday, Sandoval-Rivera was also on felony probation and wanted for a suspected violation of his probation, police said.

The investigation was continuing; police asked anyone with information regarding this incident to call the Santa Rosa Police Department at 707-543-3600.