Man arrested after Multnomah County deputies seize $30K worth of drugs

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation teamed up for an investigation — leading to the arrest of one man in northeast Portland and the confiscation of more than $30,000 worth of drugs, authorities announced Monday.

On September 3, investigators with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office were watching “a known drug location” in northeast Portland, when they saw the suspect, 34-year-old Ricardo Olivas Sentael involved in a drug deal.

Authorities followed Olivas Sentael and searched his car – leading authorities to find half a pound of fentanyl.

During his arrest, investigators learned Olivas Sentael was staying at a southeast Portland motel, where authorities found another nine pounds of meth and a kilo of fentanyl worth a combined $34,000. Investigators also seized $40,000 in cash.

Following his arrest, Olivas Sentael was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center.

“With fentanyl’s potency, we need everyone to understand that even a very small amount can be deadly,” MCSO Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell said in a statement. “Removing a kilo of fentanyl represents hundreds of lives saved in our community and underscores the importance of our Dangerous Drug Team and I want to thank them for their work.” 

Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office noted earlier in 2025, their Dangerous Drugs Team — which investigated this case — seized nearly 280 pounds of meth and more than two pounds of cocaine – marking the largest drug confiscation in MCSO history.