Lake Elsinore, Murrieta, Temecula Cops Bust Up Gambling, Drug Biz

SOUTHWEST RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Large gaming machines linked to an illegal gambling operation, along with a large amount of fentanyl, have been seized in an area near Southwest Riverside County, and one man suspected in the case remains jailed, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department reported Monday.

Danny Rodriguez, 38, was arrested Thursday morning after members of the Murrieta-Temecula Regional Gang Task Force — with assistance from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau, the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station Special Enforcement Team, the Murrieta Police Department’s Special Enforcement Team, and special agents from the Department of Justice Bureau of Gaming Control (Riverside Regional Office) — served a search warrant in the 21000 block of Mountain Avenue in unincorporated area of Perris, according to the sheriff's department.

During the search warrant service, detectives found two loaded handguns, over 1,000 suspected fentanyl pills, over a quarter-pound of suspected fentanyl powder, approximately 2 ounces of heroin, approximately a half-ounce of suspected methamphetamine, several thousand dollars, along with 10 large gaming machines believed to be related to an illegal gambling operation, according to the sheriff's department.

Rodriguez, "a documented criminal street gang member," was arrested and booked into Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of numerous felony charges related to drug sales, weapons possession, and illegal gambling, according to the sheriff's department.

Another resident who was detained at the Mountain Avenue address was also expected to be booked on charges, according to the sheriff's department, although the agency did not provide details.