Man, woman arrested, suspected of sexually abusing Riverside child
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Multiple people snared in drug smuggling probe into Riverside County jail
VOL. 9, 11,
NO. 216
Authorities arrest woman suspected of killing Cal Fire captain
By Joe Taglieri
By Joe Taglieri
joet@beaconmedianews.com
joet@beaconmedianews.com
S
everal people were in custody Friday after they were named in a federal indictment alleging conspiracy in a ring that involved smuggling illegal drugs, including fentanyl, into a Riverside County jail. The individuals named in the indictment totaled 10, accused of smuggling methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl into the correctional system over a presumably monthslong span ending in fall 2022. While prosecutors alleged multiple drugs were involved in the smuggling scheme, the unsealed indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The alleged ringleader was identified as Andrew Jesus Ayala, 46, of Riverside, who is affiliated with an unnamed street gang, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Ayala was arrested Friday, along with two others. They coordinated with "three in-custody defendants who wanted to obtain narcotics, a group of facilitators on the street and at least one drug mule who concealed narcotics in a body cavity,"
A
woman suspected in the fatal stabbing of her wife who was a Riverside County fire captain was charged with murder Monday after authorities in Mexico turned her over to U.S. authorities. Yolanda Olejniczak Marodi, 53, drove into Mexico via the San Ysidro port of entry on Feb. 17, the same evening Riverside County Fire Department Capt. Rebecca "Becky" Marodi, 49, was found stabbed
to death at the couple's home, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Yolanda Marodi was admitted for medical treatment prior to being booked into jail, according to published reports. "Mexican authorities notified U.S. Marshals that Yolanda Marodi had been located in Mexico and taken into custody," the sherif's department reported. "Yolanda was later released to
Fentanyl pills. | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
See Fire captain Page 39 according to prosecutors. The remaining indicted individuals were already in custody. “Drug smuggling endangers the lives of inmates and the sheriff’s deputies who are sworn to guard them,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “I thank and commend our partners at the FBI and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for the time and attention they have paid to this urgent and important matter.” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco also commended "sheriff's investigators and FBI agents who worked tirelessly on this case to
ensure those responsible were identified and brought to justice" and said, "The smuggling of drugs into our jails, particularly with the emergence of fentanyl, has dramatically increased inmate deaths and medical emergencies within our corrections division." Bianco added that "the investigation highlights the importance of the cooperation and working relationship with our federal partner law enforcement agencies when it comes to public safety." According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the case See Jail drugs Page 21
was cracked when investigators intercepted and recorded phone conversations indicating plans to smuggle narcotics into one of the county's five detention facilities. The alleged conspirators "arranged temporary housing for the drug mules before and after they went into custody and delivered narcotics," the agency stated. Prosecutors identified one incident in late 2022 when a defendant attempted to smuggle 1.75 ounces of methamphetamine concealed inside his body.
County officials report progress on Santa Ana River restoration, homeless outreach By Staff
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iverside County officials touted significant strides in the multiyear effort to restore the Santa Ana River bottom, including nearly 200 former encampment residents who moved into stable housing. What started as a
complex challenge with balancing public safety, environmental preservation and the urgent needs of people experiencing homelessness, has become a model for regional collaboration and compassionate intervention, county officials said in a
See Santa Ana River Page 21
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