CASPER — A Torrington woman is being sought by authorities in connection to a statewide fentanyl and meth trafficking ring that was busted in March.
Circuit Court Judge Brian Christensen signed an arrest warrant for Charvel Nalene Martinez, 25, on Friday, who the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation alleges conspired to traffic fentanyl and meth to Casper.
Martinez and Jennah Jo Gerstner, 26, were arrested in an unrelated case in Laramie County on May 22-23 and both were charged following discovery of 14 grams of suspected fentanyl, a court affidavit states.
In the March bust, investigators found Martinez’s phone number and text conversations from her to an alleged trafficker, Quinton James Lee Fisher, who was arrested in an Evansville hotel March 19.
Police seized more than 2 pounds of methamphetamine and about 2,730 fentanyl pills during the bust, court records show.
A subsequent investigation shows a message on Fisher’s phone dated March 13, where Martinez allegedly asked Fisher if he needed anything as they came out of Cheyenne.
Court records show Fisher allegedly replied, “Maybe a boat.”
‘Boat’ Of Fentanyl
According to the court documents, a DCI special agent described a “boat” as a common reference for 1,000 fentanyl pills.
Martinez allegedly replied that, “I can do that, but I’m gonna have to go back for it, we’re already in Cheyenne just got here but I don’t mind going back if you need it. I can have my plug meet me …”
The term “plug,” according to the court document, is a reference to a person’s source of supply for controlled substances.
Other text messages between the pair appear to show more willingness of Martinez to supply Fisher with pills.
On March 17 at 2 p.m., court records state Martinez texted Fisher to ask, “You good?”
Fisher replied that he was “going to reup and I might need a backup plug.”
Martinez responded, “Okay, I got you and also I can get you boats for 14 instead of 15.”
Fisher responded that he needed “4ps and a boat.”
Court documents state DCI agents understand “reup” refers to resupplying with additional narcotics, the “14” means $1,400 and “4ps and a boat” refers to 4 pounds of methamphetamine in addition to 1,000 fentanyl pills.
Talk With ‘Don’
A later text between Fisher and Martinez refers to a supplier named “Don.” Fisher replied that “Don” wasn’t responding to him. But Martinez replied that Gerstner was talking with, “Don now trying to see if he’ll front on what you need.”
Court records show Fisher and “Don” later connected and “Don” texted, “don’t include that chick in our business.”
Court documents show that a confidential informant told DCI that Fisher obtained 10 pounds of meth between March 10 and March 19, and 6 pounds of meth and about 2,000 fentanyl pills “on or about March 13, 2024.” He also allegedly received 4 pounds of meth and about 3,000 fentanyl pills at midnight March 18.
The informant told agents that Martinez and her girlfriend were allegedly involved in distribution of controlled substances in the Guernsey, Wyoming, area.
Court records show a DCI agent interviewed Gerstner on May 23 following her arrest, who denied that she and Martinez supplied Fisher, but admitted that were thinking about it.
“He had, he already, like, did it. I was trying to make money, but it didn’t happen,” she told the agent, according to court documents.
Gerstner allegedly told the agent that they didn’t want to be homeless and tried to get the narcotics.
Following his arrest in March, Fisher’s trafficking case was moved to U.S. District Court. A co-defendant arrested with him on March 19 at the hotel, Ashton Newbern, was arraigned on six felony narcotics charges in Natrona County District Court on May 8.
Martinez faces two counts of conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, one for methamphetamine and another for fentanyl, based on her alleged actions between March 13 and 19.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and fine of up to $25,000 or both.
There are no charges filed against Gerstner in Casper Circuit Court.
Both Martinez and Gerstner await arraignment on drug possession charges in Laramie County District Court and are free on bond.
