Crime & Safety
Craigslist Ad Leads to Drug Bust
The alleged Temecula drug dealer was tracked down when he put up an advertisement on Craigslist looking for people to party with "Tina," a street name for methamphetamine.
A Craigslist ad led to the arrest of two Temecula men.
Brian Leach, 33, and Jose Reyes Gomez, 26, both Temecula residents, were arrested on Aug. 5 on suspicion of dealing large amounts of crystal methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to jail records.
The investigation began when sheriff's Detective Jason Calvert was reviewing classified ads on the popular website Craigslist in an attempt to find people selling controlled substances, according to an affidavit.
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Calvert came across an ad from a man stating he was looking for a female to party with "Tina."
According to the detective, "Tina" is the street name for methamphetamine.
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The suspect and the detective began emailing back and forth making arrangements to meet and get high together. The suspect told the detective he had "really, really good Tina," according to the affidavit.
When the suspect arrived at the agreed upon location in Murrieta, Leach got out of his truck and began texting Calvert.
Murrieta Police Department Special Enforcement Team Detectives went up to the suspect and Calvert asked him if he was in possession of methamphetamine. Leach admitted to Calvert that he had a pipe in his vehicle.
While searching Leach’s truck, he found a meth pipe filled with methamphetamine crystals. He then arrested Leach.
The suspect also told Calvert that he has "big connects" and that he has access to large amounts of methamphetamine, the report stated.
Calvert then went through Leach’s cell phone and saw several texts regarding the sale of methamphetamine.
One of the texts was from a person named Joe who stated he was at Del Taco on Rancho California Road “with the stuff for you and what I owe you," Calvert reported.
Leach told Calvert that Joe drives a black Cadillac Escalade.
Calvert and the other detectives drove to Del Taco where they found the black Escalade and made contact with the driver, who identified himself as Joe.
In searching the Escalade, Calvert discovered an ounce of meth and more than $600 in cash. Reyes was immediately arrested.
