A 21-year-old Owensboro man previously charged with drug trafficking is facing new felony charges following a search by local law enforcement early Tuesday morning, according to the Owensboro Police Department.
Jesse Gonzalez, also known as Jesse Santiago-Gonzalez, was taken into custody after officers executed a search warrant in the 100 block of West 20th Street, authorities said. The search stemmed from an in-depth investigation by the Street Crimes Unit, OPD said in a release.
During the search, officers found two AR-style .223 caliber pistols, a large amount of cash, and evidence that Santiago-Gonzalez attempted to destroy drugs before being arrested, according to OPD. He now faces several new charges, including:
- Aggravated trafficking in a controlled substance (10 grams or more of carfentanil/fentanyl derivatives)
- Trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense (carfentanil or fentanyl derivative) (enhanced)
- Possession of a handgun by a convicted felon (2 counts)
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Possession of marijuana (enhanced)
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
In addition to the new charges, police said they also served Santiago-Gonzalez with an indictment warrant from a previous case and a parole violation warrant.
That previous case, according to police, occurred in January when Santiago-Gonzalez fled from a traffic stop and was arrested a short distance away. He was charged at the time with trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl, among other offenses.
Police added that Santiago-Gonzalez was sentenced in January 2023 to seven years in prison for a 2021 second-degree robbery conviction. He also has several prior theft-related convictions.
