Fontana Man Pleads Guilty in Fentanyl Death of 20-Year-Old Angel DeLeon from Riverside
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Angel DeLeon, 20, of Riverside, died in 2023 after unknowingly taking a fentanyl-laced counterfeit pill.
On November 18, 2023, Riverside Police Officers responded to the 4200 block of 1st Street in downtown Riverside regarding an adult man found deceased inside a home. The victim, 20-year-old Angel DeLeon, was believed to have overdosed after taking what was thought to be Percocet. Based on the circumstances, detectives from the Robbery–Homicide Unit and Narcotics Unit assumed the death investigation.
Detectives discovered that Angel and his acquaintances used social media to purchase Percocet pills, commonly known as M-30. They picked up the pills from a residence in Rialto. After taking them, Angel was found unresponsive and later pronounced deceased.
The Riverside County Sheriff–Coroner’s Office determined that Angel’s death was caused due to the effects of fentanyl. The pills he had taken were counterfeit Percocet laced with fentanyl.
The investigation into who sold the counterfeit pills to Angel and his acquaintances led detectives to identify 27-year-old Markel Charles Jones of Fontana. Jones was on parole for illegal firearm possession and had been arrested multiple times while on parole for possessing illegal narcotics for sale.
Over the following months, detectives gathered evidence showing that Jones had sold the counterfeit Percocet pills knowingly containing fentanyl to Angel, ultimately causing his fatal overdose. In October 2024, detectives obtained a murder warrant for Jones’ arrest and took him into custody at his home in Fontana on October 24, 2024.
On July 23, 2025, Markel Jones pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance for sale. He is set to receive an 11-year sentence in state prison.
Fentanyl is a deadly poison that continues to take lives in our community. The Riverside Police Department, in partnership with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, is committed to thoroughly investigating fentanyl-related deaths and aggressively prosecuting those who sell or provide this dangerous drug.
“If you supply fentanyl and someone dies, we will hold you accountable,” said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. “Our detectives worked tirelessly in this case to uncover the truth and ensure the person responsible for Angel DeLeon’s death is brought to justice. Their dedication reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting our community from this deadly poison.”
To learn more about the dangers of fentanyl, access the latest statistics on fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths in Riverside County, and read powerful real-life stories to help raise awareness and prevent others from falling victim to this deadly drug, visit FacesofFentanyl.net.
