Defendant in fentanyl exposure admits charges

A second defendant in an Oct. 20, 2022, fentanyl exposure at Stateline admitted multiple counts of drug trafficking on Tuesday, exactly one week before her trial was scheduled to begin.

Jessica Thomas, who has been in custody since arrest, originally denied charges that she sold 20.25 ounces of fentanyl and other drugs including methamphetamine and heroin with co-defendant Regina Rojas from June 2022 to their October arrest.

Thomas and Rojas were arrested in connection with an ill-fated drug sting at Stateline that sent five Douglas County deputies to the hospital for exposure to the deadly drug, one of which was near death as a result of the incident.

The Chevrolet sedan the pair drove was so toxic that the medics had to be called the following day to treat a deputy investigating the case and the jail had to be decontaminated also.

Rojas was sentenced to 32.5 years in prison on Feb. 13 after admitting to eight counts of drug possession and trafficking.

Thomas faces decades in prison on 13 counts of drug possession and trafficking.

Her sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 18.