Two men were arrested in Encino on charges of selling an assortment of drugs, including controlled substances and narcotics, to Ventura County residents, as per the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. The individuals, identified as Brandon Decervens, 29, and Stephen Castel, 28, were taken into custody following a months-long investigation by the VC FOCUS (Ventura County Fentanyl and Overdose Crimes Units) task force. Decervens was surveilled engaging in "street deals," leading to the further uncovering of Castel's involvement, which operated through social media platforms such as Telegram and Signal.
On October 9, law enforcement detained Decervens and apprehended Castel inside their apartment, where he was found attempting to destroy large quantities of drugs, KTLA reported. A subsequent search uncovered 5,794 Xanax pills, about ¼ pounds of methamphetamine, and 2 ounces each of fentanyl and heroin, in addition to cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, and various pharmaceutical pills. Decervens was released after posting bail and is scheduled for arraignment on October 24, while Castel remains in custody with a bail set at $50,000, according to the Nixle report.
Both suspects face multiple charges, including possession for sales of controlled substances, sales of controlled substances, sales of a specified drug, and conspiracy. The VC FOCUS task force combines resources from Ventura County regional law enforcement agencies, the California Highway Patrol, and federal authorities. The primary goal of VC FOCUS is to fight back against the surge in fentanyl-related crimes and opioid overdoses by pinpointing and disabling the drug supply chains in Ventura County, KTLA detailed.
Furthermore, VC FOCUS is also actively involved with Ventura County Behavioral Health as part of the Overdose Awareness & Solutions Team, aiming to decrease overdose incidents and enhance public awareness about opioid dangers. For further information or to report on narcotics-related cases, individuals may reach out to VC FOCUS investigators at (805) 383-8700 or via email at [email protected]. Ventura County Crime Stoppers is also offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to arrests and criminal complaints against persons responsible for such crimes, according to details shared by Ventura County authorities.
