Jesse Jimenez : Woman Accused of Supplying Fatal Fentanyl Dose Faces March Court Date

Convicted felon accused of providing deadly dose of fentanyl in Moreno Valley

A young woman, Savanna Michelle Carlos, 21, from Moreno Valley, is facing serious charges after allegedly supplying a lethal dose of fentanyl to a 27-year-old man, Jesse Jimenez, in a tragic incident that took place last year.

Carlos, who is currently held at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on a $1 million bail, is accused of second-degree murder in connection with Jimenez’s death. The details of how the two individuals crossed paths and how the deadly drug was provided have not been fully disclosed.

The Incident

The incident unfolded in a quiet neighbourhood in Moreno Valley, specifically in the 21600 block of Winding Road, near Yolo Street. On the fateful day of February 2, 2023, patrol deputies were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of a man down. Upon arrival, they found Jimenez unconscious and unresponsive.

Despite the deputies’ efforts to administer life-saving measures and the subsequent arrival of paramedics, Jimenez could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner’s bureau later determined that his death was the result of fentanyl poisoning.

The Investigation

Following an extensive investigation, law enforcement officials were able to trace the source of the fatal drug back to Carlos. Detectives approached her at the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center in Devore, where she was serving a jail term for undisclosed offenses in San Bernardino County.

Carlos has a prior conviction for forgery in Riverside County, adding to the seriousness of the charges she now faces. The probationer is set to appear before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane for a settlement conference on March 12 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Fentanyl Epidemic

The tragic incident involving Jimenez and Carlos is part of a larger trend in Riverside County and beyond, where fentanyl-related deaths have been on the rise. Since February 2021, over two dozen individuals have been charged with murder in connection to fentanyl poisonings.

In 2020, the county saw its first fentanyl murder case go to trial, resulting in a conviction and a lengthy prison sentence for the perpetrator. The county Department of Public Health has reported a slight decline in fentanyl-related fatalities in 2023 compared to the previous year.

The Danger of Fentanyl

Fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, poses a significant threat to public health and safety. Manufactured in overseas labs, primarily in China, the drug is trafficked into the United States by cartels, leading to a surge in overdoses and deaths.

With a potency 80-100 times greater than morphine, fentanyl can be easily mixed into various street drugs and prescription medications without the user’s knowledge. Ingesting even a tiny amount of the drug can have fatal consequences, making it a leading cause of death among young Americans.