Suspected fentanyl dealer in Barstow pleads not guilty to charges

Dec. 30—A suspected fentanyl dealer who authorities said was bringing the potentially lethal drug into the city of Barstow and selling it answered to charges last week.

Randy Rosencrans, 31, pleaded not guilty on Dec. 22 to transportation of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for sale.

He is now in county jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Police arrested Rosencrans five days before Christmas after a search warrant was issued for his arrest earlier this month.

The Barstow Police Department started an investigation into the sale of fentanyl in the city on Dec. 6 and identified Rosencrans as the suspect seller.

A Barstow police officer spotted Rosencrans on Dec. 20 driving in the 700 block of East Virginia Way and pulled him over.

The officer found 6 grams of fentanyl, a digital scale, and cash inside the vehicle, authorities said.

Rosencrans and a female passenger who had outstanding warrants were arrested.

City officers served a search warrant later that day at Rosencrans home in Yermo.

There, they found 15 grams of fentanyl, about 1.5 grams of black tar heroin, several scales, and cash, the Barstow Police Department said. Rosencrans has another court hearing on Jan. 11.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid about 100 times more powerful than morphine, is frequently mixed with other drugs to increase potency, which means some users may not know they're ingesting it.

"Producing illicit fentanyl is not an exact science," the Drug Enforcement Agency said. "Two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person's body size, tolerance, and past usage."

Synthetic opioids were involved in 64% of the more than 100,000 estimated drug overdose deaths in the U.S. from May 2020 through April 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The record number was the first time overdose deaths have reached six figures in 12 months.

San Bernardino County reported 288 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2020, a 168% increase from the deaths reported in 2018, state data shows.

Daily Press reporter Martin Estacio may be reached at 760-955-5358 or MEstacio@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_mestacio.

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