Palmdale man denied pretrial release in Marine overdose case
A bid for pretrial release was denied Friday for a Palmdale man facing federal charges that he helped distribute narcotics — including oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl — to civilians and members of the US Marine Corps, one of whom suffered a fatal drug overdose.
Jordan Nicholas McCormick, 26, is alleged to have supplied large quantities of various drugs — including LSD, ecstasy, cocaine and fentanyl-laced oxycodone — to four co-conspirators, and is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
US Magistrate Judge Rozella A. Oliver concluded that McCormick is a danger to the community, and ordered that he remain in federal custody pending trial in December.
If convicted, McCormick would face a mandatory-minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.
Lance Cpls. Anthony Ruben Whisenant, 20, and Ryan Douglas White, 22, who are stationed at Camp
Pendleton, were arrested Sept. 22 on a federal grand jury indictment charging one of the Marines and three civilians with conspiring to distribute narcotics to civilians and members of the Marine Corps, one of whom suffered a fatal drug overdose in May.
Whisenant allegedly distributed drugs to fellow Marines, including the one who died, and White is charged with being an accessory after the fact for allegedly attempting to hinder the apprehension of Whisenant.
The 14-count updated indictment also charges Gustavo Jaciel Solis, 24, of Sylmar, who allegedly sold McCormick’s drugs to civilians and military personnel, and Jessica Sarah Perez, 23, of Pacoima, who allegedly distributed narcotics, including fentanyl and cocaine, to civilian customers.
On Aug. 11, Solis and Perez were indicted on fentanyl and cocaine distribution charges, and Solis was indicted on firearms-related charges. They have pleaded not guilty.
The updated indictment adds McCormick, Whisenant and White as defendants, in addition to adding charges to the original indictment. Prosecutors contend the conspiracy lasted from last November through last month and involved multiple sales of fentanyl-laced oxycodone to an undercover buyer, often for amounts exceeding $1,000 per buy.
On May 22, Solis sold 10 pills of oxycodone laced with fentanyl to an unnamed active-duty Marine who died of a drug overdose in the early morning hours of May 23, the indictment alleges.
In addition to the conspiracy charge, McCormick, Solis, Whisenant and Perez face substantive charges of distribution of narcotics, including fentanyl. McCormick and Solis are also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug crimes.