Drug Dealer Sentenced To State Prison

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Sonora, CA– Tuolumne County District Attorney Cassandra Jenecke announced that Daniel Curtis, 37, was sentenced to six years and eight months in state prison on Oct. 21 after pleading guilty to multiple drug-related charges. Curtis admitted to maintaining a place for selling or using controlled substances, possessing fentanyl for sale, and destroying evidence. The sentence also includes prison time for prior offenses, including false personation, driving a vehicle without consent, and failure to appear in court, all of which he was on probation for at the time of the drug-related crimes.

In a related case, Gina Chiodo, 34, was sentenced to two years and eight months in state prison on Oct. 28. She pleaded guilty to maintaining a place for selling or using controlled substances, as well as an unrelated false personation charge.

The convictions stem from an investigation by the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Team (TNT), which executed a search warrant at a Jamestown residence in August 2024. Authorities discovered over 11 grams of fentanyl, 32 cell phones, digital scales, 114 grams of a cutting agent, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia and packaging materials. During the raid, Curtis attempted to destroy evidence by discarding suspected controlled substances.

Both defendants were issued a formal fentanyl advisement as part of their plea agreements. The advisory warns that selling or distributing controlled substances, especially those laced with fentanyl, poses a significant risk of causing fatal overdoses. Under California law, individuals may face manslaughter or murder charges if their actions result in a fentanyl-related death. While the advisement became a legal requirement with the November 2024 passage of Proposition 36, the District Attorney’s Office has included it in complaints since 2023.

Anyone with information about drug sales in the area is urged to contact the TNT tip line at (209) 533-5884.