San Jose – An alleged fentanyl merchant is in detention in the event of life prison after an investigation which began with a tragic discovery in a Capitola fire station.
It all started on January 12, when the captain of the central fire protection district Steven Ramirez, 54, was found dead at Station 4, where he had spent a large part of his 34 years of career as an emergency answering machine. An investigation revealed that Ramirez had fought against opioid dependence after a work injury earlier years, and that he had communicated with an alleged drug trafficker from San Jose nicknamed “Little Mister”, according to the judicial archives.
Now, the federal prosecutors have charged Rumaldo Monsieur Manzanares, whose age was not available, of fentanyl distribution and to cause a person's death. It is an accusation that brings a minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum perpetuity sentence.
The complaint alleys that Manzanares sold “counterfeit” opioid pills in Ramirez, labeled as Percocet, but which in fact contained fentanyl, a much stronger synthetic pain reliever for tens of thousands of deaths each year. Counterfeit pain relievers are produced en masse by drug cartels because they are cheaper to do and can be sold at higher prices, according to the FBI.
Manzanares should be brought to justice on April 10 and remains in police custody at the Elmwood correctional center in Milpitas, according to the files. He cannot be bailiff.
Ramirez, a 34 -year -old firefighter, is described in online fundraising As “husband, father and friend dear, as well as a devoted leader in the community of firefighters”, who left four children as well as “countless family members, friends and firefighters who loved her very much”.
The criminal complaint explains how the prosecutors came to welcome Manzanares, starting with the discovery of Ramirez's body in his room in a central district of protection against Capitol. The complaint does not appoint Ramirez, but describes the exact date, the location and the circumstances of his death, which align with the public relationships and the Ramirez Bill.
The complaint indicates that two colleagues tried to wake up Ramirez from his bed during a call for service early in the morning, to discover that their friend and colleague died at some point during the previous evening. In one of the Ramirez phones, the investigators would have found SMS between Manzanares and Ramirez in which Ramirer said he was suffering from withdrawals and wanted to buy pills as soon as possible.
The authorities allege that Manzanares went to Los Angeles to buy percocet pills counterfeit from a supplier and returning to his home in San Jose to sell them during a markup.
Jason Nee, the chief of firefighters of the Central Fire Protection District, has published a statement indicating that the entire department is “deeply saddened” and still fighting to deal with the loss of Ramirez. He said the incident is a reminder of the need for colleagues to “plead” and “empower” each other to “prevent anyone from suffering in silence”.
“Being a firefighter is difficult work; our members are always exposed to difficult situations, both emotionally and physically. These experiences are the ravages of all of us. We are not superhumans; we are human and we suffer from all the same stress and challenges that all humans do,” said Nee. “We want our members to take advantage of support systems that are in place to help during physical or emotional challenges.”
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