Ex-Yuba County Deputy, Oroville U.S. Post Office Worker Indicted In Bicoastal Drug Ring

OROVILLE (CBS13) — Four Oroville residents were indicted by federal investigators as part of a drug trafficking ring that involved the U.S. Post Office and a Yuba County Sheriff's narcotics investigator.

Yuba County deputy Christopher Mark Heath, 37, has since resigned after his arrest. He, Tyler Neil Long, 32; Ryan Jay Falson, 27; and Ramona Marcel Long, 56 are charged in the 19-count indictment.

Federal prosecutors allege the defendants grew marijuana and shipped it across the United States, including Pennsylvania.

Long, the mother of Tyler Long and mother-in-law of Heath, is accused of using her position at the Oroville post office to help ship the marijuana, as well as money investigators say was used to buy more marijuana.

Investigators allege 200 pounds of marijuana and $500,000 were shipped between California and Pennsylvania in the conspiracy.

The indictment also says when they caught wind of law enforcement's watchful eyes on the post office scheme, Heath, Long and Falsone drove 200 pounds of marijuana from California to Pennsylvania in two vehicles. Heath had a gun he was authorized to carry as a sheriff's deputy and his badge.

Heath, Tyler Long and Falsone were arrested on Dec. 28 in Pennsylvania after the discovery of the marijuana, and investigators say evidence at four properties in the Oroville area were destroyed, including at both Long residences.

Tyler Long is the owner of Triple Cross Kennels, a Bangor-based pit-bull breeding company. Falsone is the owner of Ryan's Performance Automotive on Lincoln Boulevard in Oroville. Ramona Long worked at both the main post office on Robinson Street and the Ophir Station location on Myers Street.

Investigators have not indicted a co-conspirator in York County, Pennsylvania they allege rented the post office boxes used in the conspiracy.