When it comes to getting out of jail on bail, suspected fentanyl dealers may not get the same consideration in Colusa County Superior Court as those who allegedly peddle methamphetamine or cocaine.
The Oregon couple arrested on Oct. 12 at the Maxwell Chevron on multiple drug-related charges made their first appearance in court on Monday, where Judge Jeffrey A. Thompson denied Public Defender Brandon Williams’ request to release his client, 27-year-old Rebecca Nicole Mitchell, of Grants Pass, on her own recognizance pending court proceedings.
Mitchell, along with Keith Levi Farnsworth, 32, also of Grants Pass, was arrested by the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office around 3:45 AM on charges alleging possession and transporting a controlled substance for sale, along with possession of a switchblade.
Williams said Mitchell, who pleaded not guilty, had a minimal criminal history, was not a flight risk, had a stable home, and had children.
While the judge did reduce Mitchell’s bail from $75,000 to $50,000, he did not set her free due to the nature of the drug allegedly found in the couple’s possession.
According to District Attorney Matthew Beauchamp, Mitchell and Farnsworth had one ounce of fentanyl in their possession.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is up to 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. The drug is typically used for severe pain management for cancer patients, but the USDEA said street fentanyl, which is used recreationally, is being clandestinely manufactured in Mexico from chemicals coming from China and then smuggled across the southern border.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, drug poisoning is the leading killer of Americans ages 18 to 45 and fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing this country.
Of the 107,622 drug-related deaths in 2021, 66 percent were related to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, the CDC said.
Farsworth is being held in the Colusa County Jail on $90,000 bail. He was also arrested on suspicion of possession of metal knuckles.
Public Defender Albert Smith, who represents Farnsworth, will request a bail reduction for his client at a hearing next week. ■