The following agencies maintain drop boxes to drop off your not-needed prescription medication. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. He was taken into custody Tuesday at his Security Road home, Kerns said. The seizures, and the refills, continued for about eight months, then ceased, but Morningstar found himself dependent on the narcoticphysically, mentally, and emotionally. Its these fast-rolling interstates that carry the deadly opioids, including heroin and fetanyl, flooding Marylands western counties. Michael Romito, three counts of distribution of heroin. The task force was assisted by the Washington County Special Response Team and the Hagerstown regional office of the Drug Enforcement Agency, according to an email from Kerns. She highlighted not just the personal toll of the opioid epidemic on families but decreasing property values, its effect on businesses and workforce participation rates, and the immense strain placed on the citys police, EMS, and fire department budgets. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Theyll deliver. Conspiracy to commit possession with intent to distribute narcotics. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Sheriff Douglas Mullendore of the Washington County Narcotics Task Force. ; Cody William Grant, 26, of 826 Dewey Ave., Apt. Now, however, nearly all of the rails leading into downtown have been removed. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Information for Victims of 1st Million Dollars, LLC. She can be reached via email at julieg@herald-mail.com. The drug task force is comprised of sworn law enforcement officers and contributionsfrom theCaroline County Sheriff's Department, Maryland State Police, Maryland Natural Resources Police, Caroline County States Attorney's Office, and the Denton Police Department. Those kind of manufacturing jobs generally pulled up stakes for cheaper labor in the South or overseas, a trend that has continued. There were a few people dedicated to establishing a Maryland orchestra, a few people trying to revive the Maryland Theatre. The 16-bed treatment project for women is partly to honor their daughter, who once shared her wish of getting off drugs and opening such a center with her parents, but it is also borne of frustration, as the family repeatedly struggled to get the help their daughter needed. Hagerstown is still a meat and potatoes kind of place, says Elliott. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. A sitting train and truck behind a lot along West Franklin Street. Investigators have seized 8.6 kilograms of cocaine, 1.02 kilograms of heroin and 12 ounces of cocaine base. I was gonna overdose and kill myself.. The Caroline County Drug Task Force started the investigation by looking into the operation of a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing large amount of cocaine, opioids,. Eight planned downtown catalyst projects include an expanded City Farmers Market and the creation of a cultural trail, part of which has already been implemented. Theyre bringing in students from nearby counties and occasionally out of state. Life is great now, he says. I legitimately thought about that for five or six hours that day. There were things going on, but no cohesiveness at the top.. Simms is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The school started with 85 students but this year surpassed 300, even though that meant holding classes in hallways and stairwells. Grant was being held without bond Wednesday at the Washington County Detention Center. TheCaroline County Drug Task Force is a multi-agencydrug task force, based inRidgely, Maryland; which functions under the direction and control of thedrug task forceadvisoryboard. In an emotional press conference, she pointed the finger directly at the pharmaceutical companies, including Purdue Pharma, which hired hundreds of sales representatives to promote their product and has been accused of using misleading information to hide the drugs addiction potential. Situated near the Potomac River and what was once Western Maryland and West Virginia coal country, Hagerstown served as a vital gateway to the fertile Midwest. The Washington County Narcotics Task Force recovered approximately 188 grams of suspected heroin and 95 grams of suspected methamphetamine Monday from 807 Hamilton Blvd. All Rights Reserved. A local taxi company sporadically drops people off. To me, the urban improvement project is huge. Kevin Simmers relished locking up drug users, no matter how little crack they had on them. DEA agents and partner agencies in Western Maryland are seeing a resurgence of one-pot meth labs in the area -- noting more incidents of meth labs in the area this year than the last 5 years combined. It's hard to imagine Hagerstown and similar cities receiving restitution anywhere near the true cost of the opioid epidemic and officials acknowledge that. The following people were indicted during the investigation: Justin Aaron Spain, 41, of Lanham, Maryland. Home to one-fourth of the countys population, Hagerstown accounts for the majority of those seeking treatment, as well as the majority of overdose fatalities, which included 21 city residents in the first four-and-a-half months of this yeara pace that would, if it continues, triple last years total. Grant was treated at Meritus Medical Center and released to authorities, Kerns said. Thats how strong the grip of this addiction is.. On Tuesday afternoon, the following people were brought into custody: Thor Swenson, two counts of distribution of heroin. But there is often trauma, or simply the stress of living in poverty, that is putting them under intense pressure.. "The fact that a good portion of the investigation occurred during the pandemic makes the results even more impressive.". Julie E. Greene is a reporter for The Herald-Mail. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Walter Javier Martinez, 17, was last seen in the area of Wellington Court and may have left in a blue vehicle. A release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office revealed the following: This was a normal kid, the daughter of a respected ex-city cop. Everyone had a story., n its heyday, Hagerstown built the massive Fairchild transport planes that carried U.S. troops across the Pacific during the Korean War; post-war, they made Boeing jets. Meanwhile, health care, housing, and education costs have skyrocketed over the ensuing decades, but wages, adjusted for inflation, have remained essentially flat in Hagerstown, growing just 5 percent in total over that 25-year span. Alternative Drug & Alcohol Counseling (ADAC), 370 Virginia Ave, Hagerstown MDPhone: (301) 766-0065 or email [emailprotected], 64 South Main Street, Boonsboro, MD 21713, Meetings in Parish House (Park in back, house to the right), Capturing Washington County, Maryland's faces, places and unique spaces with creative and artful imagery. The indictment also lists items requested for forfeiture that include more than $400,000 in cash, a .22 caliber pistol, ammunition, and six vehicles, all believed to be proceeds from the drug trafficking conspiracy. Because of that, its residents have more money and higher expectations, and a strong restaurant base and downtown arts and culture district has grown there, sustained by its community. Justin Ernest Riggs, 33, was arrested Saturday and is accused of leaking information to a drug trafficking organization . That investigation led to the Narcotics Task Force obtaining 9 search warrants. Their daughter, who grew up playing soccer and basketball, became hooked on pills by 18 and then turned to heroin. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. Kevin and Dana Simmers at the future site of Brooke's House. After the public schools and hospital, the largest employers in Washington County today are the sprawling Citi and First Data call centers. Breezy Jill Beckette, 22, of 807 Hamilton Blvd. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. Later, outside a Rotary Club meeting, Keller talks more optimistically about the citys current efforts to tackle the crisis. Men outside a Hammond Street garage. It is a cruel twist that Hagerstown, on the receiving end of so much heroin from Baltimore, has such a shortage of addiction specialists that the Wells House, one of the largest outpatient clinics here, utilizes Baltimore doctors via telemedicine to treat its clients. She tried treatment and rehab several times, and even laid down on the familys lawn once, begging her father to shoot her to put her out of her misery. Even as other Rust Belt towns declinelosing union jobs, community, status, and a general hope for a brighter futurethe numbers in Hagerstown are startling when you step back and look at them. Anderson was charged with distribution of narcotics and possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not marijuana, according to online court records. The steel tracks of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad started carrying locomotives from Baltimore in the same direction, straight through the heart of Hagerstown, two years after the end of the Civil War. Is Hagerstown eating its way to dementia? On February 19, city health officials reported the number of heroin overdoses to which EMS crews and city police responded to. Several weapons were seized, including two stolen handguns, as well as rifles and shotguns, Kerns said. The rear of North and Locust Food Mart. Bernard said agents serveda search warrant at the store in June and seized approximately $500,000 worth of drugs, including a kilogram of heroin and nine kilograms of cocaine. Maryland bust nets $1M in drugs, 9 arrests, 34 guns Authorities said they seized more than $1 million in drugs, including 18 kilograms of cocaine, 2.7 kilograms of heroin and . Dwayne Unglebower, four counts of possession with intent to distribute spice, three counts of maintaining a common nuisance for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. The rest of the state did not share that history, and Hagerstown and towns like it are dealing with something entirely new. February 21, 2023. Some NTF agents are even deputized by the DEA as Federal Task Force Officers (TFO's). Police seized more than 80 pounds of meth, 200 bags of fentanyl, more than two dozen guns and $135,000 in cash in a massive drug bust in Montgomery County. Nobody I know. Its a phone call away. He liked the feeling the Vicodin gave him and began to sometimes take the pills just for that hydrocodone buzz. NOW PLAYING ABOVE. He is being held at the Washington County Detention Center on a $80,000 bond. All rights reserved. Its not the white picket fence. Inside the bedroom, Heather Strausbaugh sat talking with her client the conversation ranged from nightlife and bars to their families. -- The number of meth cases, particularly of one-pot meth labs in Western Maryland, has been experiencing a recent surge. Plainspoken but good-natured, and a well-respected journalist, Elliott started atTheHerald-Mailin 1970. Kristie Lockhard, a 38-year-old recovering addict volunteering at the event, says when she first started using heroin in 1999, she would drive to Baltimore two or three times a day to buy it. Police say most of these deals happened in broad daylight. October of 2011, I woke up one day and thought, this is the day you die or the day you get clean. Cameron Tibbs, one counts of distribution of heroin. Spain is being held without bond at the Caroline County Detention Center. E, all face drug charges, according to Kerns and online court records. Through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Smith supplied narcotics to Tyler and Eddie Ware, Hagerstown, Maryland heroin and fentanyl drug dealers. If effective, they will be a start in rebuilding Hagerstowns economy and, ultimately, its quality of life. In 2009, an old theater was transformed into BISFA, a magnet arts high school. Margerette Derosiers, 28, of Federalsburg, Maryland. U.S. Attorney's Office December 21, 2012. The number of child abuse cases has gone up. Patrica Diaz,four counts of possession with intent to distribute spice, three counts of maintaining a common nuisance for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Beckette and Anderson were being held at the detention center Wednesday, each in lieu of a $50,000 bond. Tyler and Eddie Ware pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl on October 28, 2020, and January 11, 2021; respectively. Please provide as much information as possible, Your name and address/information is optional. Hitachi Rail Factory "on track" in Hagerstown. Washington County > Washington County Maryland Narcotics Task Force. As the former Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts for Washington County Public Schools, Rob Hovermale was involved in conversations as early as 2000 about opening a public arts high school in Hagerstowntalks that were largely dismissed at the time. The indictment seeks forfeiture of $410,016 in cash, six vehicles and a .22-caliber revolver and ammunition. For a century, Hagerstown had been the dominant city, and Frederick a little cow town. Weve been struggling for decades and hopefully this will get the ball rolling, she says. We get to engage and feel like were being a positive influence on the city.. on the U.S. Department of Justice website. Police allege Anthony Latimer, 41, Hagerstown, was dealing drugs from his car when Alpha Platoon patrol officers approached the car in the 300 block of North Jonathan Street at 5:30 a.m. Latimer stepped . Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. A months-long investigation initiated by citizen complaints resulted in the arrests of two suspected drug dealers Wednesday. a shuttered barber shop on Jonathan Street. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( People began to say, Oh, if it can happen to that family, it can happen to my family, Sterling says. 3, in Hagerstowns North End; and Daniel Matthew Anderson, 28, of 1008 Security Road, Apt. One of the biggest mistakes city officials made was failing to sufficiantly upgrade Municipal Stadium, the nearly 90-year-old home of the minor league Hagerstown Suns, or build a new ballpark downtown. Big out-of-town industries such as Fairchild Aircraft, which once employed 10,000 people and closed its plant in 83, and Mack Trucks, which arrived in 1961 (and still makes trucks here, although it employs fewer people), were controlled from a distance and had no stake in the community, Elliott asserts. Across the country, rural addiction rates have surpassed those in urban areas, yet there is still not a single inpatient drug treatment facility in Washington County. "If they just had a pipefine," he said. In a Brookings Institution study of 114 metropolitan areas that specialized in manufacturing from 1980-2005, the Hagerstown-Martinsburg (West Virginia) area had the second-highest percentage of industry job change in the U.S., a staggering 70 percent. Kerns said Anderson was part of an investigation that occurred prior to the search warrant being executed. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Some of them were done outside, some were done in the apartments, numerous kids were in the area playing, numerous people out and about, said Sgt. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. osh Morningstar could be the poster boy for the use of prescription opioids gone awry. An official website of the United States government. In an indictment unsealed on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur announced that four have been arrested and two are still being sought in connection with the Hagerstown drug bust. Others walk from nearby apartments. In addition to Mota, the news release listed those indicted in connection with the alleged operation as: All but 11 of the defendants had been arrested as of Wednesday. The charges includeconspiracy to distribute drugs, possession with intent to distribute drugs, and money laundering. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. . As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. He was released after posting his $5,000 bond. Gregory Lovern Williams Jr., 39, of Federalsburg, Maryland. Neither did the Washington County health officer or then-Hagerstown Police Chief Arthur Smith, who questioned the wisdom of opening a methadone clinic in a city that, he claimed, did not have a heroin problem. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. Travon Bristol, two counts possession with intent to distribute spice aka K-2 and one count of maintaining a common Nuisance. 2 counts of conspiracy to commit possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances, 3 counts of using a firearm in drug trafficking, Possession of a controlled dangerous substance not marijuana. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. The Washington Narcotics Task Force has made 11 arrests in connection to a local drug trafficking organization investigation. Mostly sunny skies with gusty winds. (ABC7) The news from Hagerstown wasn't good. Fifteen Members of Alleged Drug Ring Arrested. The two have been charged in connection with a drug distribution conspiracy in the Westminster area of Carroll County, Maryland. "That is a snapshot, one day in the time of this case so that tells you that over the whole year of the investigation the breadth of this conspiracy and this illegal enterprise," Bernard said. A Hagerstown pawn shop. "The drug enterprise run by the defendants involved a sophisticated operation including the use of a purported business to act as a front for drug trafficking and the laundering of hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds," Bernard said in a statement. George Alfred Butler, 56, of Federalsburg, Maryland. Its a problem, says former Hagerstown police chief Victor Brito, who resigned in May to lead the Rockville force. 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, MD 21740. The C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio) Canal, which passes through Washington County and primarily transported coal, was already in operation by then, having been completed in 1850. The epidemic has not peaked yet by any means, says Mike Piercy, director of the Washington County Department of Social Services. Its like watching a slow train crash coming that you dont know how to stop.. Kimberly Thompson, one count of maintaining a common nuisance for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Nine People Indicted in Historic Drug Bust on Maryland Eastern Shore, Eastern Shore Neighbors React to Historic Drug Bust, Governors Office Of Crime Prevention, Youth, And Victim Services, Dorchester County States Attorneys Office, Dorchester County Task Forces, Homeland Security Investigations And Drug Enforcement Administration, Multiple Threats Made to Delaware Schools, Gunshot from Pocket Leads to Multiple Charges for Milford Man, UPDATE: Delaware Man Fatally Shot Near Felton Identified, Two Salisbury Men Arrested on Multiple Rape and Weapon Charges, Recreational Crabbing Regulation Changes in Chesapeake Bay, Transparency Requirements for Group Health Plans, Possession of large amount of controlled dangerous substance, Distribution of large amount of controlled dangerous substance, 2 counts of conspiracy to distribute narcotic, Possession with intent to distribute narcotics, 2 counts of possession with intent to distribute narcotics, Conspiracy with intent to distribute narcotics, 3 counts conspiracy to distribute large amounts of narcotics, 3 counts conspiracy to distribute narcotics, Rifle/shotgun possession by disqualified person, 2 counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances, 4 counts conspiracy to distribute narcotics, Firearm possession with a felony conviction, Possession of controlled dangerous substance not-marijuana, Conspiracy to distribute large amounts of controlled dangerous substances, 2 counts possession of controlled dangerous substances not-marijuana, 2 counts of conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute narcotics, 2 counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances, 3 counts of conspiracy with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances, 3 counts of use of a firearm in drug trafficking, 2 counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance not marijuana, Possession of more than 10 grams of marijuana. Hagerstown built automobiles, bottled Coca-Cola, made shoes, clothing, furniture, and Breyers ice cream, and was the worlds largest manufacturer of pipe organs. The first three municipality lawsuits against drugmakersall Ohio casesare scheduled to be heard in U.S. District Court in Cleveland early next year. #washcoproud, CDS Possession/Use of Cocaine and Derivatives, CDS Possession/Use of Synthetic Narcotics (Fentanyl), CDS Sale/Manufacturing Synthetic Narcotics (Fentanyl), CDS Sale/Manufacturing Other Dangerous Drugs, CDS With Intent to Distribute Narcotics, Please contact Deb Fling at (301) 514-7373 or email, Washington County Government is hiring for full-ti, The Washington County Office of Emergency Manageme, SAVE THE DATE! The 30-count indictment charges the residents of Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and the Dominican Republic with trafficking large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base and cocaine hydrochloride from Hagerstown to locations in Berkeley County, West Virginia, from August 2020 to June 2021. While this is small victory for the task force, agents say the communitys drug problem is far from over. All rights reserved. Corey Diehl, two counts of distribution of heroin. "This is the largest drug bust in my time as a prosecutor and as the elected state's attorney," Caroline County State's Attorney Joe Riley said. 544,514 views Jun 30, 2016 $24 million dollars was found stuffed in the wall of a home in what's being called one police department's biggest cash seizure to date. In recent decades, theyve swapped roles. 2023 Washington County. 6:15 AM. Now, how many families do you know that have been affected by addiction? From March 20 to April 24, 2019, law enforcement surveilled activity at the suspected unit on a daily basis and observed Smith opening the storage unit to weigh and process suspected narcotics for distribution. Hes married with children and living his dream of being a full-time musician, touring his original folk-country songs across the U.S. But today, while Frederick, just 25 miles east down I-70, is regularly named among the best places to live in the U.S., Hagerstown more closely resembles a microcosm of Baltimoreessentially a small town with big-city problems, continually in survival mode. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. Theres an unmistakable world-wearinesswritten into their faces. Nine arrested in early morning drug bust in Westernport. During the execution of the search warrant, Smith informed law enforcement that he had a storage unit in Hagerstown, Maryland and told officers where he kept the keys to the unit. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. George Wallace campaigned here in 1968 and 1972. Two additional private methadone treatment centers have since opened in the area, not to mention the Washington County Health Departments outpatient addiction program, which treated more than 11,000 patients between 2013 and its closing this spring due to state budget cuts. . His associate, 33-year-old Rodney Gaines, or "Butta" was also arrested. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Sheriff Douglas Mullendore . Derosiers isBeing held at the Dorchester County Detention Center held without bond. Holland is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center without bond. According to his guilty plea, on March 18, 2019, law enforcement received an anonymous tip from a Hagerstown, Maryland storage facility customer reporting that an individual driving a large SUV and a storage unit conducted a suspected drug deal at the facility. William Miller, one count of distribution of heroin. nyone wishing to report narcotics information is encouraged to contact the task force by calling 301-791-3205, emailing, Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Best smart home devices for older users, according, How to get started on spring cleaning early, according, Worried about your student using ChatGPT for homework? When you cant find work, cant pay your billswho wants to think about that? I fully bought into the War on Drugs and what Reagan was doing, he says. These ongoing efforts build on one of Hagerstowns legacy assets, the lush City Park, utilized year-round, as well as the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts therein, where the new Cultural Trail begins before it winds toward downtown. As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. Baltimore, Maryland - Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman and Joan Mathias, who are prosecuting the case. According to Bernard, those charged are: Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, also known as "Papi," 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, and the Dominican Republic This pooling of investigative resources benefits each investigative unit with increased manpower, less duplication of effort, and by coordinating the targeting of drug offenders. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. Three Hagerstown residents face drug charges after suspected heroin and suspected methamphetamine with a street value of approximately $50,000 was seized along with $9,000 in cash and several. The arrests were made during an eight-week investigation that was centered in the Queen City Drive and Park Street areas and was launched in response to complaints from citizens, businesses and visitors concerning the solicitation of prostitution. By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca Photography by BENJAMIN C. TANKERSLEY | July 2018, By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca. The indictment also calls for the forfeiture of $400,000 in cash, a .22 caliber pistol, ammunition and six vehicles, all believed to be proceeds of the drug conspiracy. Maybe longer. Contact WCNTF if you have information on these persons (301) 791-3205, (Use the blue dots to scroll the list of wanted persons). Most arent even here to get clean but to get by. At that time, police apprehended Beckette, who was inside the duplex, Kerns said. Shortly after Grant was taken into custody, the task force executed a search-and-seizure warrant at 807 Hamilton Blvd., Kerns said. Summer Camp registration opens Apri, Congratulations to Boot Barn for celebrating a rib, On behalf of the National Park Service, the Washin, Check out the special events Washington County Rec, In observance of Presidents' Day, Washington Count, Americans with Disabilities Act Information. Rise of a street boss By 1973,. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Additionally, in Through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Smith supplied narcotics to Tyler and Eddie Ware, who were Hagerstown, Maryland heroin and fentanyl drug dealers. The seized drugs have a street value of approximately $471,000, according to prosecutors. Hagerstown, MD 4 days ago. (DC News Now) The Hagerstown Police Department said officers executed a search and seizure warrant at 115 S. Mulberry St. on Oct. 7, finding fentanyl, crack cocaine, $5,000 cash, and firearms. he one place in Maryland that has had a long struggle with heroin use is Baltimore, of course. Jim Robison, Director for the Washington County Narcotics Task Force. Maybe 10-15 percent dont give you any problem and are trying to do the right thing, says Lee Green, an addictions counselor who is also an active member of a 12-step program.
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