Accused RivCo Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty In Fentanyl Overdose Death

RIVERSIDE, CA — A Fontana resident has pleaded to charges related to the opioid overdose death of a 20-year-old man in November 2023, authorities said.

On July 23, Markel Charles Jones, 27, of Fontana, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance for sale. He is facing an 11-year sentence in state prison, according to a release from the Riverside Police Department.

On Nov. 18, 2023, Riverside Police Officers were sent to the 4200 block of 1st Street in downtown Riverside. Upon arrival, 20-year-old Angel DeLeon was found dead.

An investigation revealed that DeLeon died of an overdose after taking what he thought was Percocet, police said. Earlier, DeLeon and his acquaintances reportedly used social media to buy Percocet pills, often called M-30.

Some time after picking up the pills from a home in Rialto, DeLeon was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead in Riverside, police said.

The Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's Office later determined that his death was caused by the effects of fentanyl and that the pills he had taken were laced with the deadly opioid.

An investigation into who sold the pills to DeLeon led detectives to Jones, who was on parole for illegal firearm possession and had been arrested several times while on parole for selling illegal narcotics, police said.

Over the next several months, detectives gathered evidence showing that Jones had sold the counterfeit Percocet pills to DeLeon and knew that they contained fentanyl, according to the department.

In October 2024, detectives obtained a murder warrant, and Jones was arrested on Oct. 24 at his home in Fontana.

“If you supply fentanyl and someone dies, we will hold you accountable,” said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. “Our detectives worked tirelessly in this case to uncover the truth and ensure the person responsible for Angel DeLeon’s death is brought to justice. Their dedication reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting our community from this deadly poison.”

To learn more about fentanyl, visit this link.