A Modesto man has been sentenced to seven years in state prison. He pleaded guilty to distributing pills laced with fentanyl within a California casino. According to prosecutors, this case underlines the growing threat of synthetic opioids in public spaces like casinos, further illustrated by regular reports linking the gambling sector to various drug-related crimes.
Casino Staff Immediately Notified Authorities
On August 4, 2025, the Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office announced that 35-year-old Samuel Westphal pleaded guilty to felony charges of possessing a controlled substance for sale. His reported crimes fall under Health and Safety Code section 11370.4(c), which prescribes significant penalties for such offenses. A recent amendment to the legislation allows fentanyl cases to be prosecuted with mandatory state prison sentences instead of local jail time.
Westphal was arrested after a May 5 incident at Chicken Ranch Casino outside Jamestown. Casino employees alerted sheriff’s deputies after finding 23 suspicious pills in public spaces. A subsequent analysis revealed that these were counterfeit oxycodone tablets laced with fentanyl. Surveillance video later confirmed that Westphal deliberately placed the pills and walked away.
Authorities tracked Westphal down to a nearby hotel room. Upon searching the premises and the suspect’s car, law enforcement officials discovered 902 grams of fentanyl-laced pills. Additionally, investigators found text messages on Westphal’s phone scheduling a drug handoff involving the dangerous substance.
Fentanyl Is an Exceedingly Dangerous Drug
As per his plea agreement, Westphal signed a fentanyl advisement, acknowledging that dealers of fentanyl-laced drugs could face homicide charges if those substances result in death. While fentanyl has legitimate medical applications, it’s become increasingly dangerous in the hands of street dealers. The synthetic opioid is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and can kill even in low doses.
Westphal’s actions not only endangered casino patrons but also added to a pattern of drug-related incidents in casinos across the USA. The case parallels a related federal prosecution last year in Connecticut, where a New Haven man was sentenced to nearly a decade behind bars for selling fentanyl-laced cocaine that led to a fatal overdose at Mohegan Sun Casino.
Back in California, Westphal will serve time in state prison as prescribed by the tighter new policies adopted in response to the rising toll of fentanyl across the state. While casino staff and law enforcement acted with admirable alacrity in this case, preventing potential fatalities, drug-related crime remains a rising concern within the gambling sector and beyond.