Woodland Hills Man Sentenced for Selling Fentanyl Through Social Media

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Ronald Jelaniwarren Joseph (DOB 04/14/00), of Woodland Hills, was sentenced on May 27, 2026, to seven years in state prison for selling counterfeit Oxycodone “M-30” pills containing fentanyl to Ventura County residents.

Joseph previously pled guilty on January 12, 2026, to two felony counts of selling and transporting fentanyl and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He also admitted to several special allegations and aggravating factors including the involvement of a large quantity of contraband and a prior strike offense.

Ventura County Fentanyl and Overdose Crimes Units (VC FOCUS) detectives discovered that Joseph was allegedly using social media to advertise illicit fentanyl pills. Through undercover operations and surveillance, investigators determined he had an established customer base in Ventura County.

On November 12, 2024, Joseph was arrested in Newbury Park while attempting a narcotics transaction. A search warrant served at his Woodland Hills apartment led to the seizure of over 1,000 counterfeit M-30 pills and a handgun. Joseph, a convicted felon and documented gang member from Los Angeles County, was also found to be on active parole.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Audry Nafziger, a member of VC FOCUS and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Major Crimes Narcotics Unit, is prosecuting the case.

“This case is an example of the important work being done by VC FOCUS and our law enforcement partners to keep fentanyl out of Ventura County,” Ms. Nafziger said. “Every seizure of these deadly counterfeit pills has the potential to save lives.”

VC FOCUS is a task force made up of Ventura County regional law enforcement agencies, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and federal law enforcement partners. The primary mission of this partnership is to combat fentanyl related crimes and opioid overdoses by targeting the supply chain of individuals and criminal organizations responsible for the sales of these drugs into Ventura County. In addition, the task force works to identify new trends of abuse among the younger population and educate the community at large on the lethal danger of this epidemic.

Fentanyl is an extremely powerful synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. As little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered to be a lethal dose of this deadly drug. Counterfeit M-30 (Oxycodone) pills are highly abused and often contribute to fatal and non-fatal overdoses within Ventura County. These counterfeit pills are mass produced by drug cartels and sold throughout the United States for large profits. The pills look identical to legitimate medications and are mixed with fentanyl. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) estimates that six out of every ten pills seized by law enforcement agencies across the United States are counterfeit and contain fentanyl which make them extremely dangerous to the community.

VC FOCUS has partnered with Ventura County Behavioral Health as an active member of the County Overdose Awareness & Solutions Team (COAST) in a campaign to reduce overdoses and educate the public about the dangers of opioids and other drugs. Comprehensive information can be found at ThinkAgainVC.com.

Case: 2024030729

Defendant Information:
Ronald Jelaniwarren Joseph (DOB 04/14/00)
Woodland Hills

Charges pled guilty to:

(2 counts) HS 11352(a) – Sale/transportation/offer to sell/import for

sale controlled substance (fentanyl)

PC 29800(a)(1) – Own/possess/control firearm by felon or addict

Special allegations admitted:

PC 667(e)(2)(A) –Strike prior
CRC 4.421(a)(8) – The manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, or professionalism

CRC 4.421(a)(10) – The crime involved a large quantity of contraband
CRC 4.421(b)(3) – The defendant has served a prior term in prison and county under section 1170(h)