DA’S OFFICE ANNOUNCES “FIGHTING FENTANYL” CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE RIVERSIDE COUNTY RESIDENTS, “WHEN FENTANYL KILLS, WE CAN PROSECUTE FOR MURDER”

October 23, 2024
RIVERSIDE – The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is launching a new campaign to continue raising awareness about the deadly dangers of fentanyl and highlight the office's aggressive prosecution of those who deal this potentially lethal drug.
The "Fighting Fentanyl" campaign underscores District Attorney Mike Hestrin’s zero-tolerance policy toward anyone who sells or distributes fentanyl, especially when it results in a victim's death. The initiative aims to educate the public on the office’s prosecution efforts and reinforce its commitment to holding dealers accountable.
This predominantly social media-driven campaign will feature a four-part video series, a victim-centered vlog, and several informative graphics. Every Friday, through the end of 2024, the DA’s Office will post important information about our ongoing fentanyl prosecution efforts.
Additionally, a digital billboard spreading awareness of fentanyl prosecution will be visible throughout Riverside County. The office has also added a real-time Fentanyl Homicide Prosecution Dashboard to its website, allowing residents to view data about our current fentanyl-related homicide cases: Dangers of Fentanyl | Riverside County District Attorney.
“The message is clear: If you push poison in Riverside County, you will be prosecuted,” said District Attorney Mike Hestrin. “It is my responsibility to protect the people of Riverside County from the catastrophic impact of fentanyl. If you sell or distribute this drug and someone dies, you will face murder charges. We were the first in California to charge fentanyl dealers with murder, and we continue to lead the way. Fentanyl is a poison, and we won’t tolerate it in our community."
In 2021, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office became the first in the state to file murder charges in fentanyl-related deaths, quickly establishing itself as a leader in prosecuting these cases. In a groundbreaking 2023 case, a jury convicted a Temecula man of second-degree murder for the fentanyl-related death of a 26-year-old woman—the first trial of more than 30 homicide cases filed in the county involving fentanyl poisonings. As of the time of this news release, Riverside County has 20 active fentanyl homicide cases, involving 23 defendants and 20 victims.
The DA’s Crime Prevention Unit has conducted over 150 presentations in schools throughout the county, reaching nearly 20,000 students, teachers, and parents about the lethal dangers of fentanyl. As part of the outreach efforts, the “Fighting Fentanyl” campaign also includes informational handouts and promotional materials that will be distributed at these presentations.
The "Fighting Fentanyl" campaign is launching during Red Ribbon Week (Oct. 23-31), the nation’s longest-running drug prevention campaign, which brings communities together to take a stand against drug abuse.
