Reno man given 20 years in prison after fentanyl and pandering cases

UPDATE - MAY 8:

A Reno man arrested after a standoff involving multiple law enforcement agencies earlier this year has now been sentenced to prison in two separate criminal cases tied to fentanyl trafficking and pandering.

42-year-old Jose Menendez-Murray, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with parole eligibility after seven years.

Washoe County District Judge Lynne Jones sentenced Menendez-Murray to 15 years in prison in a fentanyl trafficking case and a consecutive five-year sentence in a pandering case.

Menendez-Murray was previously arrested following a standoff at a home on Greenbrae Drive involving the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Human Exploitation and Recovery Operations Team, Sparks Police SWAT, RAVEN and several other law enforcement units.

According to prosecutors, detectives with the Reno Police Regional Narcotics Unit originally arrested Menendez-Murray in 2024 after arranging multiple controlled drug buys.

Investigators later stopped him after learning he was returning to Nevada from California following what authorities described as a resupply trip.

Authorities said detectives found 91 grams of fentanyl, 1.3 grams of methamphetamine and 8.2 grams of heroin during the investigation. Prosecutors said the fentanyl amount equated to about 3,640,000 doses.

While awaiting sentencing in the drug case, Menendez-Murray was arrested again in connection with a pandering investigation conducted by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office HERO unit.

Investigators said detectives later uncovered text messages tied to prostitution activity, including messages that stated, “I told you to up your rates” and “well come down and give me the money.”

Deputy District Attorney Michael Vieta-Kabell represented the state in the trafficking case, while Deputy District Attorney Darcy Cameron represented the state in the pandering case.

ORIGINAL STORY - JANUARY 13:

A wanted felon and one other person were arrested on Tuesday night after a standoff involving multiple law enforcement agencies.

At around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, detectives with the Washoe County Sheriff's Office Human Exploitation and Recovery Operations Team determined that 42-year-old Jose Menendez-Murray was located at a home on Greenbrae Drive.

Detectives tried to make contact with Menendez-Murray, but he refused to come out of the home, according to a release from the WCSO.

Authorities set up a perimeter and got a search warrant for the property.

The Sparks Police Department SWAT team was asked to help with executing the warrant.

Washoe County Sheriff's Office patrol units, K9 teams, and drone operators also responded, as did RAVEN, which provided aerial overwatch.

The Sex Offender Notification Unit and U.S. Marshals also provided help.

After continued efforts to communicate with Menendez-Murray, he surrendered and came out, being taken into custody without incident.

He was taken to the Washoe County Detention Facility, where he was booked on a felony warrant for failure to appear after bail related to an original charge of trafficking fentanyl, as well as felony charges of sex trafficking, facilitating sex trafficking, and living off the earnings of a prostitute, all stemming from a Washoe County Sheriff’s Office HERO investigation.

In addition to the arrest of Menendez-Murray, 53-year-old Timothy Fagundes was arrested for a parole and probation warrant related to a charge of possession of a stolen car.

An earlier statement provided by a law enforcement spokesperson to our 2 News Nevada crew said that a total of seven people were evacuated from the home, including the two who were arrested.

There is no remaining threat to the public, according to the Sheriff's Office release.

The investigation is ongoing.