Two Men Arrested In Cottonwood After Caught In A Drug Sale Involving Fentanyl Pills

Two men were arrested last week in Cottonwood with a slew of fentanyl pills found in a vehicle. Yavapai County Sheriff’s investigators saw 30-year-old John Gonzales in the parking lot of the Cottonwood Walmart last Tuesday. Detectives know Gonzales for his involvement in the use and sale of fentanyl in the past. Gonzales was seen getting got out of a truck and into a gold passenger car. Gonzales was out on release on a drug sales charge and appeared to detectives he was involved in another drug sale. Deputies followed the car after leaving the Walmart parking lot until it stopped in a church parking lot. Deputies approached the vehicle and noticed Gonzales and the driver, 34-year-old Michael Smargiassi from Rimrock, shuffle items around in the car. The two were detained and the vehicle was searched. Detectives found a bag containing 60 blue fentanyl pills marked “M30” by the driver’s seat. They also found a glass pipe and a hollowed out pen with apparent fentanyl residue. The search turned up more pills totaling 178 as well as $600 in cash. Gonzales admitted that he was going to use the money to buy the pills. Gonzales was booked on drug charges and is being held without bond. Smargiassi was also booked on drug charges and was released on a $10,000 bond.