Man arrested after agents allegedly find more than 11 ounces of fentanyl
CHICO >> An Oroville man on parole was allegedly found with fentanyl and methamphetamine and arrested Jan 20.
Melvin Eugene Alves, 48, was under surveillance Jan. 20 by the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force and Special Enforcement Unit of the Butte County Sheriff’s office at the Golden Feather Mobile Home Park, according to a press release.
At the time, Alves was out of custody and under supervised release or parole.
Agents noticed Alves approach and enter an occupied vehicle in the Golden Feather Market parking lot at 751 Oro Dam Blvd. West, according to the release. Agents believed a drug arrangement was taking place.
Agents detained the men in the vehicle. The driver, David John Pierce, was allegedly also on parole, had a warrant for his arrest from another county.
When agents searched Alves they allegedly found 14.03 grams of fentanyl, 1.51 grams of methamphetamine, a scale, drug paraphernalia, money and a cell phone. The car was not found to have any other illegal items.
Agents returned to the mobile home park location and entered a trailer belonging to Alves, according to the release. Agents say they located approximately 11 ounces of fentanyl, packaging material, foil, a scale and other drug paraphernalia in a locked safe which showed the fentanyl was possessed for sales purposes.
Alves was arrested on suspicion of parole violation, possession of fentanyl for sale, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Pierce, 34, of Grass Valley, was arrested suspicion of an outstanding warrant and taken to the Butte County Jail.
Three quarters of a pound of fentanyl in a plethora of colors was taken from this stakeout and removed from the Oroville community and Butte County, according to the release. The amount of fentanyl found contains enough dangerous doses to potentially kill tens of thousands of people.
BINTF agents asked for an increase in Alves’ bail amount. This request was granted by a Butte County Superior Court judge and increased to over one million dollars.