On September 4, 2019 around 10:45 p.m., a Pinal County Sheriff’s deputy pulled over a vehicle on westbound I-10 in the Eloy area for a traffic violation.
The vehicle was occupied by two men, 43-year-old James Lee and 54-year-old Donovan Salas. The driver, Salas, gave the deputy consent to search the vehicle.
During a search, two packages of pills, believed to be fentanyl, were discovered inside the vehicle. Both Lee and Salas were placed under arrest and initially denied having knowledge of the fentanyl pills being there. After further questioning, both admitted they had knowledge of the drugs. Lee and Salas further stated they had approximately 500 pills and were going to sell them.
“The opioid epidemic is not only a problem for the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, but our entire nation,” said Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. “Great work by our deputy for catching these drugs before they hit the streets of this country.”
Lee and Salas were both booked into the Pinal County Adult Detention Center where they both face charges to include possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a narcotic drug, possession of a narcotic drug for sale, and transport of a narcotic drug for sale.