Stanislaus County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Charge in Operation Blue Death

FRESNO, Calif. — A Stanislaus County man has pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute in connection with a federal investigation into drug and illegal firearms trafficking.

Andrew Rodriguez, 30, of Ceres, entered the guilty plea as part of Operation Blue Death, an investigation involving fentanyl and firearm trafficking in Stanislaus County between September 2022 and June 2023.

According to court documents, the investigation led to charges against seven individuals in a 17-count federal indictment.

During March and April 2023, co-defendant Arturo Madrid sold several firearms and thousands of fentanyl pills. On April 21, 2023, Madrid sold approximately 6,000 fentanyl pills and a Draco PAK 9 9mm Luger rifle.

On June 13, 2023, Rodriguez arrived at a location in Stanislaus County with co-defendants Oleg Arreola, Arturo Madrid, and Enrique Cruz DeLeon to complete a pre-arranged purchase involving 50,000 fentanyl pills.

Officers arrested the four shortly after they arrived.

Authorities found two handguns, a short-barreled rifle, an AR-15-style firearm, and approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills inside Rodriguez’s vehicle.

Investigators also seized an AK-style Draco rifle that Arreola had brought to the transaction and had near his feet at the time of his arrest.

DeLeon was found with approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills inside a briefcase in his vehicle.

Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2026.

Several co-defendants have already been convicted and sentenced.

Arturo Madrid, 30, of Modesto, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and possessing a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced to 135 months in prison on November 17, 2025.

Enrique Cruz DeLeon, 29, of Salida, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 30,000 fentanyl pills and was sentenced to 135 months in prison on April 21, 2025.

Ebony Lambert, 49, of Turlock, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and was sentenced to 24 months in prison on August 25, 2025.

Oleg Arreola, 29, of Modesto, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a felon and was sentenced to 135 months in prison on March 9, 2026.

Donnell Mays, 51, of Turlock, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and was sentenced to 94 months in prison on July 13, 2026.

Andrew Madrid has not been convicted and is scheduled for trial on September 22, 2026. He is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distributing fentanyl.

If convicted, Andrew Madrid faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life imprisonment. The charges against him remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case.

Assistant United States Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Chan Hee Chu are prosecuting the case.

The prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force and Operation Take Back America initiatives.

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