Daniel Charles Meehan – Santa Cruz County booking photo
Authorities Believe That Two Men Have Died As A Result Of Taking The Drug
SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart announced today that they have arrested a 22-year-old man from Watsonville in connection to counterfeit “Xanax” pills that have been circulating throughout county. They arrested Daniel Charles Meehan and charged him with manufacturing and sales of a controlled substance. Xanax is generally prescribed as a sleep aid.
Meehan’s residence is on Calabasas Road in rural Watsonville
The Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Department recently sent out a press release warning people of the counterfeit “Xanax” pills being circulated throughout the county. In November, police raided Meehan’s house on Calabasas Road in Watsonville. Detectives found cocaine, a few firearms and an active Butane Honey Oil lab, along with 80 marijuana plants.
While he was interviewed by the Sheriff’s investigators, Meehan admitted that he gave a 29-year-old Aptos man the medication, but he stated that he also destroyed the rest and dumped them on White Road in Watsonville. Authorities did find some of the pills in the area that had been partially burned.
The department also stated that in a separate incident, two 19-year-old men took the counterfeit “Xanax” pills at a party, and one later died. The toxicology report stated that he died of a lethal dose of opioid medication Fentanyl.
Ryan Heinrichs and Ryan Peterson were both found at Meehan’s home when he was arrested.
“Three people have been affected by the drug, and two people have passed away from the drug.” Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Kent Kelly said. Meehan was transported and booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail on $50,000.00 bail.
Detectives arrested two others in the November raid, but it is unclear whether they had anything to do with the manufacturing of the counterfeit “Xanax” pills. One of them, Ryan Heinrichs, 23 of Watsonville, was arrested for possessing illegal metal knuckles. A 29-year-old woman, Ryan Peterson, was arrested for having two and a half of the suspected Xanax counterfeits in her purse, and was cited for possession of a controlled substance.
