New charges filed in fentanyl exposure case

Additional charges have been filed against a California woman facing trial for multiple drug felonies in connection with an October arrest that sent five deputies to the hospital for fentanyl exposure.

Jessica Thomas, 32, is denying multiple counts of drug trafficking connected to her Oct. 20, 2022, arrest in Stateline.

The new charges Thomas faces in East Fork Justice Court deal with three drug sales that allegedly occurred in Minden on Aug. 31, Sept. 20 and Oct. 7, which included 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine and almost 6 ounces of fentanyl that sold for $11,400.

The most serious new charge Thomas is facing is a high-level trafficking charge which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years to life in prison. If convicted, she faces decades in prison.

Thomas is scheduled for an Aug. 8-18 trial in Douglas County District Court. Should the new charges be upheld at a preliminary hearing, those would likely be consolidated for the trial. Should a jury convict her, Thomas would not be eligible for probation.

Thomas is represented by attorney Brian Filter.

Unlike the Stateline arrest in October, Thomas went solo to Minden.

The woman arrested with her at Stateline, Regina K. Rojas admitted to charges connected to the arrest and was sentenced to 12-32 years in prison in March.

Rojas admitted her involvement in three sales in Stateline where 10 ounces of fentanyl was exchanged for $10,000 on June 2, 5 ounces for $5,000 on July 20 and 5.25 ounces for $6,000 on Oct. 20, according to court documents.

The investigation was wrapped up with the arrest of Rojas and Thomas on Oct. 20 which resulted in the exposure to the five deputies, with one near death but for several doses of Naloxone.

As a result, the Stateline Jail had to be decontaminated. The Chevrolet sedan involved was so toxic that medics had to be called the following day to treat a deputy investigating the case.

Rojas is serving her time at the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center in North Las Vegas.