VENTURA COUNTY PHARMACEUTICAL CRIMES UNIT
News Story Release
| Nature of Incident: |
Non-Fatal Overdose Leads to Arrests |
| Report Number: |
20-120887 |
| Location: |
4000 block of Central Avenue, Camarillo
3200 block of East Main Street, Ventura |
| Date & Time: |
September 2020 |
| Unit(s) Responsible: |
Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit (PCU)
Camarillo Patrol Station
Headquarters Patrol Station
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| (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent |
City of Residence
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Age |
(S) Libby Schroeder-Somlay
(S) Zachary Velez-Westphal
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Ventura
Ventura |
21
27 |
| Narrative: |
On September 1st, 2020, patrol deputies were dispatched to a subject not breathing call at a hotel located in the City of Camarillo. Paramedics assisted by patrol deputies located an adult female overdose victim and administered Narcan to revive her. She was taken to a local hospital and was expected to survive. Patrol deputies conducted the initial overdose investigation at the hotel.
The Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit was notified and assisted with the investigation. Libby Schroeder-Somlay was identified as the primary suspect and believed to be the person who supplied the victim with opiates, leading to the victim’s overdose. Libby Schroeder-Somlay also had several active misdemeanor narcotics related warrants for her arrest.
On September 16th, 2020, detectives were conducting surveillance in the City of Ventura when they observed Schroeder-Somlay and Zachary Velez-Westphal in a motel parking lot. While observing Schroeder-Somlay, it appeared she conducted a narcotics transaction with a third male subject. Schroeder-Somlay and Velez-Westphal were immediately detained and searches of their property were conducted. As a result of the search, detectives located a large amount of fentanyl, narcotic sales related indicia and U.S. currency deemed to be proceeds from narcotics sales.
Schroeder-Somlay and Velez-Westphal were arrested and booked at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Main Jail. Schroeder-Somlay was booked for drug-related sales charges stemming from the non-fatal overdose in Camarillo and Velez-Westphal was arrested for possession for sale of fentanyl that was in his possession.
The public may contact investigators from the Ventura County Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit at (805) 383-8700 or [email protected] with additional information about this case, or any other information related to narcotics.
The Ventura County Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit is a task force made up of members from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Thousand Oaks Police Department, the Ventura Police Department; The primary mission of the task force is combatting the transfer of legal prescription medication to the illegal market. In addition, the task force works to identify and stop new trends of abuse among the younger population and investigates overdoses due to both prescription medication and illicit drug use.
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| Prepared by: |
Sergeant Matthew Young
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| News Release Date: |
September 30th, 2020 |
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| Media Follow-Up Contact: |
Detective Corey Stump
[email protected]
(805) 384-8742
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| Approved by: |
Captain Brian Slominski
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