WATCH: Jackson County deputies find fentanyl during routine patrol

WHITE CITY, Ore. – A routine law enforcement patrol in Southern Oregon led to the seizure of dozens of grams of fentanyl, investigators said.

On Christmas night, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputy in White City reportedly found a driver passed out behind the wheel with suspected fentanyl on his lap.

During the arrest and subsequent search, JCSO said they found 93 grams of “multi-colored powdered fentanyl.”

The driver, identified as 42-year-old Tomas William Contento of Medford, was arrested and charged with felony counts of unlawful possession, delivery, and manufacture of a controlled substance.

He was lodged in the Jackson County Jail before being released on bail.

The case remains under investigation.

“As the number of fentanyl overdose deaths continue to rise in Jackson County, this arrest and seizure has the potential to save lives,” JCSO said. “The Drug Enforcement Administration warns that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage.”

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