FBI and DCSO undercover drug operation leads to arrests, fentanyl exposure

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - An undercover drug buy at Stateline Thursday night led to the arrest of two and an exposure of five deputies to powder fentanyl.

On October 20, 2022, at approximately 8:10 p.m., the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Street Enforcement Team (SET) working in conjunction with the FBI Safe Streets Task Force concluded a five-month-long investigation into the narcotics trafficking activities of Regina Rojas, a 35-year-old female from Rancho Cordova, California and Jessica Thomas, a 32-year-old female from Sacramento, California.

During the course of the investigation, the Street Enforcement Team (SET) and the FBI made a number of undercover purchases of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin from Rojas and Thomas in Douglas County.  Approximately 829.1 grams of fentanyl, 1,722.8 grams of methamphetamine, and 59.4 grams of heroin were purchased during the undercover operations. 

Rojas and Thomas were a significant conduit of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin coming into Douglas County.

An investigation by the Douglas County concluded with a buy/bust operation in Stateline, Nevada at approximately 8:10 pm on October 20.  During that buy/bust operation, five DCSO deputies were accidentally exposed to powder fentanyl and suffered symptoms related to acute fentanyl exposure (overdose).

Each deputy was administered naloxone and transported via ambulance to Barton Hospital in South Lake Tahoe, California.  All five deputies were treated and released from Barton Hospital in the early hours of October 21.

Assisting DCSO with this incident were the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, the East Fork Fire Protection District, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, the Eldorado County Sheriff’s Office, the Reno DEA Office, the Reno Police Department, the Carson City Sheriff’s Office, and the Carson City Fire Department.

There was no contamination of the Douglas County Jail or inside the Douglas County Court facilities.  All facilities are open to the public at this time.

"First I want to say I am thankful this exposure did not cause harm to any of our officers. This incident is a vivid reminder of the extreme dangers of fentanyl. The risk is not only to the public, who may not be aware that the substance they are handling is fentanyl, but also to law enforcement who is desperately trying to stem the flow of this horrific substance into our communities,” said Sheriff Dan Coverley.

Rojas and Thomas were both booked into the DCSO Minden Jail.  They have each initially been charged with three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance, one count of sales of a controlled substance, and one count of possession of a controlled substance for sale.  Additional Nevada criminal charges are pending.  Their bail was set at $250,000 each.

Rojas and Thomas may also face Federal and California State criminal charges.