4 Suspected Of Smuggling Drugs Into RivCo Correctional Facility

MURRIETA, CA — Three incarcerated Indio men and one Indio woman were suspected of working to smuggle narcotics into a correctional facility. The woman was free from jail Thursday, according to jail records.

The three men included 26-year-old Eric Guzman, 33-year-old Christian Kong and 30-year-old Daniel Mendez -- who were already in custody for other charges. They have been additionally arrested on suspicion of conspiring to smuggle narcotics into a correctional facility, Thurm said.

The woman was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of smuggling narcotics into a correctional facility, conspiring to smuggle narcotics into a correctional facility, child endangerment and possession for sale of methamphetamine, heroin and cannabis, according to Sgt. Ken Thurm of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The department's Corrections Investigation Bureau started an investigation in February due to inmates coordinating with someone outside of the jail facilities to smuggle narcotics, by way of the United States Postal Service, into the jail, Thurm said. The suspects were allegedly smuggling fentanyl, heroin, PCP and methamphetamine.

A search warrant was subsequently served in the 46000 block of Clinton Street in Indio, where she was found with two juveniles, according to Thurm. There was also allegedly evidence consistent with the facilitating and smuggling of narcotics into the jail, such as 4 1/2 ounces of methamphetamine, 3 1/2 ounces of heroin and 6 ounces of concentrated cannabis.

The woman was booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, but posted a $50,000 bail bond and was released the same day, according to inmate records.

The three men remain held at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, Mendez on $1 million bail and the other two suspects without bail.

Anyone with additional information related to the drug smuggling investigation was asked to call Correctional Deputy Gerald Dye at 951-922-7152.