Woman Arrested During NY Traffic Stop Over 200 bags of suspected fentanyl

A New York woman is facing several charges, including felony drug possession, after a traffic stop on Interstate 390 in Avon, New York, led to the discovery of more than 200 bags of suspected fentanyl, according to a statement from the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office.

Katelyn Barnes, 31, from Bolivar, New York, was arrested on August 14 following a traffic stop initiated by Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Page. Deputy Page, from the Sheriff’s Office Highway Unit, conducted the stop after observing Barnes violating New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, the statement said.

During the stop, it was found that Barnes was operating the vehicle on a suspended license, police said. Deputy Page then suspected further illegal activity and called for backup. A second deputy, Cheyenne Masiello, arrived at the scene, and during a search, Barnes “attempted to flee after Deputy Masiello located narcotics on her person,” according to the police statement.

Barnes was arrested and taken into custody. The Sheriff’s Office’s statement said Barnes was found to be in possession of 220 bags of suspected fentanyl.

Barnes has been charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class B felony, along with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

After her arrest, Barnes was transported to Livingston County Jail for processing. Due to prior felony convictions, the District Attorney’s Office recommended that she should be held without bail in the custody of the Sheriff, they said.

Barnes’ prior criminal record includes convictions in 2023 for similar drug offences, and she was conditionally released to parole in March 2024, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

It follows various arrests across the country related to suspected fentanyl in recent weeks.

On August 12, a mother and son from Tucson, Arizona, were arrested in McHenry County, Illinois, accused of attempting to transport a large quantity of fentanyl.

Gloria Gastelum, 54, and her son, German Vargas, 22, were stopped by sheriff’s deputies on August 8 after an undercover detective alerted the Narcotics Task Force about the expected delivery of illegal drugs.

During the search of their rental car, deputies say they discovered 120,000 fentanyl pills marked as oxycodone. Both Gastelum and Vargas are now facing charges for manufacturing and delivering over 900 grams of fentanyl, a Class X felony, and possessing over 200 grams of fentanyl, a Class 1 felony. If convicted, they could face 6 to 30 years in prison.

On August 1, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced a record seizure of 4 million fentanyl pills in about 234 drug packages, weighing over 1,000 pounds. The drugs were allegedly discovered in a frame of a utility trailer driven by a 20-year-old Arizona man.

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