Two women accused of trafficking fentanyl in Stillwater

  STILLWATER — A 54-year-old Yale woman, believed by law enforcement to be the current fentanyl supplier for Stillwater, and her 41-year-old female associate have been jailed on $100,000 bail each pending their arraignments on Oct. 15 on drug trafficking charges.

   The pair were arrested at 12:05 am on Oct. 6 on Highway 33 in a Jeep reportedly tracked from Ramona Kae South’s residence in Yale to Oklahoma City and back to Stillwater, according to a police affidavit.

   Stillwater Police Detective Josh Carson alleged in his affidavit, “I received information Ramona South was using her 2025 Jeep Wagoneer to traffic large amounts of fentanyl from Oklahoma City to Stillwater. The information received stated Ramona was having (another person) and Ryann Trest dispense the fentanyl in the city of Stillwater once it was brought back to her residence.

   “On 9-25-26, I contacted (a confidential informant) on an unrelated inquiry. During the conversation, CI stated Ramona South was the fentanyl supplier for Stillwater currently. CI stated they observed (a buyer) purchase fentanyl at Ramona’s residence recently.

   “On 9-30-26, I drafted a search warrant to place a tracker on Ramona South’s vehicle to monitor her whereabouts as she drove to Oklahoma City to pick up fentanyl. The GPS tracker was placed on Ramona’s Jeep Wagoneer on 10-1-26 at approximately 10 am.

   “On 10-3-26, I was monitoring the tracker as it left Yale, OK and traveled south to Oklahoma City. The vehicle proceeded directly to (a hotel) and stopped at (its) parking lot at approximately 1:30 am. I watched as the tracker showed the vehicle sitting at that address for a short amount of time and then drove north back to Stillwater.

   “From my training and experience, individuals involved in drug trafficking often meet their drug supplier at hotels or gas stations to pick up their drug of choice. The transactions rarely take long, and the drug traffickers bring the drug home for distribution.

   “I continued monitoring the tracker and observed the vehicle travel to the (Stillwater) residence of Ryann Trest. The information I received about Ramona and Ryann Trest trafficking fentanyl together was corroborated. On 10-5-26 at approximately 8:30 pm, I watched as the tracker showed the vehicle travel to Ryann Trest’s residence again. After a short amount of time, the vehicle began traveling south to Oklahoma City. I watched as the vehicle drove directly to (the same hotel parking lot).

   “We watched the GPS monitor as the vehicle traveled around Oklahoma City to four other hotels and then back to (the first hotel). After sitting at (that hotel), I monitored the tracker as it traveled back to Stillwater…to conduct a traffic stop near Perkins Rd. on Highway 33. The vehicle turned south on Perkins Rd. slowly rolling until it finally stopped. From my training and experience, individuals trafficking drugs take time to stop as they conceal drugs in their car or on their person.

   “I exited our patrol car and made a passenger side approach. I observed a female I know as Ramona South in the front passenger seat and Ryann Trest in the rear passenger seat. A male I know (who was not charged) was driving the Jeep Wagoneer. As I stood there, I asked Ramona for her insurance. I observed a package of Narcan in her brown Louis Vatton purse located between her legs and a plastic straw with a burnt end in the door handle.

   “From my training and experience, individuals that carry Narcan often abuse opiate-based drugs. Burnt straws are used to ‘hot rail’ fentanyl. A ‘hot rail’ is the primary method of smoking fentanyl where a drug addict will place fentanyl on foil and use a lighter to heat the fentanyl on the foil. The fumes created are inhaled through the straw.

   “I asked Ramona and Ryann where they were coming from. They told me they went to the casino at Remington Park in Oklahoma City and stayed a short amount of time. I instantly knew that was not true because I had been monitoring their whereabouts all day. All three occupants were asked to step out of the car. Detective Elliott deployed his K9 partner and conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle. Detective Elliott told me his K9 partner alerted to the odor of illegal drugs.”

   After fentanyl and snorting straws were found in South’s purse, and additional drug paraphernalia was found in the back seat where Trest had been sitting, a female officer, who was called to search both women, found baggies containing suspected fentanyl in their bras, the affidavit alleged.

   “Ryann stated they went to Oklahoma City to purchase fentanyl from a person named ‘Ed.’ Ryann told me she has been doing this for approximately a month. Ramona stated they went to Oklahoma City to purchase fentanyl to bring back to Stillwater. After speaking with Ramona, we took (the male driver) out of handcuffs and allowed him to take the two dogs and the Jeep Wagoneer back to Ramona’s house per her request. No evidence or drugs were found on him,” Detective Carson alleged in his affidavit.

   When the substances were tested, “3.51 grams of fentanyl was found on Ramona (South) and in her purse; 1.12 grams of fentanyl was found in Ryann Trest’s bra for a total of 4.63 grams fentanyl seized from the vehicle,” the affidavit alleged.

   If convicted of fentanyl trafficking, South could be given up to 20 years in prison plus a $250,000 fine. If convicted of trafficking fentanyl after prior convictions for endeavoring to manufacture methamphetamine in 2012 and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in 2021, Trest, who had been released from prison two years ago, could be given as much as a life sentence, court records show.