Crime & Safety
Lake Elsinore Man Accused Of Murder Is Now Charged With Selling Drugs In Jail
James Dylan Hall, now 39, has a long history of drug issues. In 2022, he was arrested and later charged with murder in a fentanyl death.
LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A felon accused of supplying a lethal dose of fentanyl to a 34-year-old Lake Elsinore man has been sitting in jail since his 2022 arrest. Since that time, he's racked up more drug-related charges.
James Dylan Hall, now 39, of Lake Elsinore, was arrested on November 30, 2022, following a three-month Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigation into the death of 34-year-old Jacob Soto.
Following Soto's fatal fentanyl ingestion, Hall was charged with first-degree murder, which he pleaded not guilty to.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Despite being jailed, Hall has allegedly gotten his hands on illicit drugs. He was charged last year with one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and selling drugs in jail.
It won't be until mid-December that Hall next appears in court. At that time, attorneys will discuss whether the cases against him will be consolidated.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The most egregious charge against Hall — murder — followed an investigation that began on the night of Sept. 5, 2022, when deputies and paramedics were sent to a residence in the 33100 block of Windward Way in Lakeland Village to investigate reports of an unconscious man.
The victim, Soto, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, according to sheriff's Sgt. Sean Liebrand. An autopsy determined he was the victim of "fentanyl poisoning."
"Over the next several months, the investigation was relentlessly worked, and ... Hall was identified as being the suspect responsible for selling the fentanyl that killed Soto," the sergeant said.
The probationer was taken into custody without incident on Nov. 30, 2022, in Wildomar.
The circumstances behind the transaction between Hall and the victim, including how they became acquainted, were not disclosed.
Court records show that Hall has prior convictions for possession of controlled substances, burglary, petty theft and smuggling drugs into a correctional facility.
Hall remains jailed at French Valley's Southwest Detention Center in lieu of $1 million bail.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
