A months-long drug probe across southern Sonoma County ended in a big way this week, with Santa Rosa detectives saying they pulled suspected cocaine, fake prescription pills and loaded guns out of homes in Penngrove and Cotati before hauling a 23-year-old Cotati man off to jail.
Officers carried out coordinated search warrants yesterday and warned that some of the counterfeit pills recovered may contain fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid that can be deadly in tiny doses. Investigators called the haul significant and said their findings underscore how risky fake pills on the street have become.
Searches and arrest
According to Santa Rosa Police, detectives executed search warrants yesterday at a property in the 5600 block of Old Redwood Highway in Penngrove and at an address in the 8100 block of Olof Street in Cotati as part of an investigation that began in January.
Search Warrant Leads to Cocaine, MDMA, Counterfeit Pills and Weapons Seizure
— Santa Rosa Police (@SantaRosaPolice) March 31, 2026
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As part of the operation, officers detained 23-year-old Kevin Garcia-Ortiz after he got out of his vehicle on the 300 block of East Washington Street in Petaluma. The department said Garcia-Ortiz was on active felony probation out of Sonoma County for a prior drug sales case.
Garcia-Ortiz was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on multiple counts, including possession of a narcotic for sale (11351 H&S), possession of a controlled substance for sale (11378 H&S), violation of probation (1203.2 PC), and felon-in-possession charges (29800(a)(1) and 30305(a)(1) PC).
What officers seized
In its release, the Santa Rosa Police said investigators seized approximately one pound of suspected cocaine. Detectives also reported recovering about eight ounces of suspected MDMA, roughly 2,000 counterfeit Adderall pills and about 200 counterfeit oxycodone (M30) tablets believed to contain fentanyl.
Police said they also found thousands of new 1x1 zip-style baggies, thousands of empty capsules often used to fill pills, three digital scales and two loaded 9mm handguns, one a privately manufactured model and the other a Springfield XD-9, along with other evidence tied to suspected drug sales.
Counterfeit pills and fentanyl danger
Authorities noted that counterfeit pills designed to look like oxycodone or stimulants are increasingly turning up with fentanyl inside, which sharply increases the risk of overdose.
The DEA reports that as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be a potentially lethal dose for most people, and lab testing has shown that fake pills can contain about that amount. Police said that danger was a key reason they prioritized this investigation.
Next steps and public safety
Garcia-Ortiz remains in custody, and the Santa Rosa Police Department said the investigation is ongoing. Prosecutors will review the case and determine whether to file any additional charges.
The department’s release listed Sgt. Kevin Naugle as the media contact at (707) 543-4015 for anyone with information related to the case.
