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. 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 . Just like all shopping centers it's half empty now and easy to find parking. Martinsburg Police Chief George Swartwood said the arrests and seizures of drugs represent "more to this community than just numbers on a page.". 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, MD 21740. At Meritus Medical Center outside of downtown Hagerstown, nearly three children a week are born addicted to opioids. Thats a lot of drugs, Kerns said Wednesday in a phone interview. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. a view from the abandoned hospital parking garage across from the antietam street clinic. Saturday mornings are the busiest days of the week because the drug treatment clinic is closed on Sundaysmeaning that several hundred people begin showing up at 5 a.m. to ensure that they cancollect their extra days supply of methadone or buprenorphine. All rights reserved. She mentions the increased training for Narcan, a medication that can prevent fatal overdoses, across the city. As a result of those search warrants, police recovered over 18 kilograms of cocaine, 2.7 kilograms of heroin/fentanyl, 5.9 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 170 pounds of marijuana and approximately 34 firearms along with money believed to be connected to the drug operation. 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. 34 indicted for expansive drug trafficking operation News Flash Frederick, MD CivicEngage So far in 2020, the rate of overdoses in the county has increased with 83 non-fatal . He was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of heroin. y any definition, the epidemic in this part of Maryland, a state with one of the top five death rates from opioids in the country, is among the worst anywhere. Its a phone call away. The NFT is housed within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)at the DEAs Hagerstown Office. Nicholas Silverman, 20, Bronson Benjamin,33, both of Hagerstown, and Farrah Wisner, 19, of Baltimore were arrested and charged with possession. Andre Luther Woolford, 33, of Hurlock, Maryland. Earlier this spring, Keller, the city councilwoman who lost her best friend to an overdose, announced that the city would be joining several hundred municipalities, counties, and states in pursuing legal action against the nations largest drugmakers, alleging that they played a key role in launching the opioid epidemic. Hagerstown, Maryland Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl and By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca Photography by BENJAMIN C. TANKERSLEY | July 2018, By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca. Additionally, in less than one month, Smith and Tyler contacted each other 714 times by cell phone. Instead, you go get high and forget about it for a while., Forty-year-old Brooks Zombro, who has lived in Hagerstown his whole life, puts it another way: Hagerstown is a manufacturing town, then we lost all those factory jobs our parents and grandparents had, [and] it has become a playground for big box retail that has all but eliminated and destroyed our downtowns small business district. 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? A Hagerstown pawn shop. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. Inside the bedroom, Heather Strausbaugh sat talking with her client the conversation ranged from nightlife and bars to their families. Baltimore, Maryland - Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.. In some cases, the defendants face penalties of five to 40 years in prison, 20 years in prison and 10 years to life, Bernard said. All it takes is a little fentanylor a microgram of carfentanyl, which is 100 times more potent. But after 50 years of decline, Elliott and others say downtown is finally showing signs of recovery, even if it is a long road ahead. This epidemic, largely caused by the pharmaceutical industrys complete lack of accountability or care about anyone or anything other than their pockets, has wreaked havoc on my city, Keller said. 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. Anderson was charged with distribution of narcotics and possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not marijuana, according to online court records. 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. As a result of the executed search warrant at Smiths storage unit, law enforcement located 15.4 grams of heroin, 8.9 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, digital scales with suspected heroin residue, numerous small plastic baggies, and a glass jar containing a suspected cutting agent. All Rights Reserved. Or an illegal immigrant? MARTINSBURG Allegedly using Top 3 Resources, an appliance store in Hagerstown, Maryland, as a front for having and selling controlled substances, 15 Eastern Panhandle residents were among those charged in an expansive drug-trafficking operation. The National Road, Route 40, began carrying wagon trains through Hagerstown to the Ohio River Valley in 1818. Police said a more than three-year investigation. When his Vicodin prescription ended, he started buying it on the street, until 5-milligram Vicodins werent enough. 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. Police Seize 83 Pounds of Meth in Massive Montgomery Co. Drug Bust Mostly sunny skies with gusty winds. 34 indicted in drug ring run from Hagerstown appliance store, feds say The crisis, he says, is driving a dramatic increase in infant mortality rates, a bellwether for other social problems. Most arent even here to get clean but to get by. This designation provides local agents enforcement powers anywhere in the United States. Frederick, which seems worlds away rather than a mere 20 minutes, has benefitted from its MARC train station, which has grown the town into a bedroom community of D.C. Its also close enough to Baltimore that people make the I-70 commute. Hagerstown, MD 4 days ago. Joshua Reed, one count of distribution of heroin. Politically, Washington County has always tilted right. FBI arrests 30 in drug sweep across Western Pa.; 3 remain at large The task force also arrested Shawn Oliver on Monday for having an active warrant out for his arrest for the distribution of heroin, police said. 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. (ABC7) The news from Hagerstown wasn't good. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Bernard saidMota is accused of using hisbusiness, Top 3 Sources on West Washington Street, to store and sell drugs and launder the proceeds. "If they just had a pipefine," he said. To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. A dog tied up behind Byers Market on North Burhans Boulevard. She can be reached via email at julieg@herald-mail.com. Several weapons were seized, including two stolen handguns, as well as rifles and shotguns, Kerns said. Now, how many families do you know that have been affected by addiction? He is being held at Eastern Regional Jail in Berkeley County, W.Va. Federal authorities allege the drug ring involved millions of dollars worth of drugs and proceeds, distributing large amounts. Press Release. Smith accessed the storage unit on 39 separate occasions and obtained at least 250 grams of narcotics during his visits. 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. (DG) - A sex trafficking operation was dismantled in Washington County. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia Air National Guard;U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and U.S. attorney's offices in West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Maryland State Police officer with Hagerstown ties accused of leaking That investigation led to the Narcotics Task Force obtaining 9 search warrants. Bernard had high praise for the cooperative efforts of the agencies involved, saying "they did a tremendous job. He moved on to 10-milligram Percocet, then 30-milligram. A locked padlock Lock (Currently affiliated with the Nationals, the Suns draw a South Atlantic league-low 896 fans per game; Frederick led the Carolina League in attendance from 2012-2016, attracting nearly 5,000 fans a game.). Four people were apprehended, three in relation to the possession of controlled substances, and one on an outstanding warrant. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. The guilty plea was announced by Jarod Forget,Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)'s Washington Division; United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; and Sheriff Douglas Mullendore of the Washington County Narcotics Task Force. (Photos from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office) 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. During the early morning hours of December 20 th, the Allegany County Sheriff's Office with the assistance of numerous allied agencies executed search and seizure warrants at three separate locations in the Town of Westernport. 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 following agencies maintain drop boxes to drop off your not-needed prescription medication. 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. He moved toThe Frederick News-Postin 1989 but lived in Hagerstown until 2000. When a methadone clinic was first proposed at this site, two blocks from Hagerstowns main street, in the spring of 2001, it was met with vehement opposition. There wasnt a door that I knocked on when I was campaigning for City Council that people didnt say heroin and the opioid crisis was the number one issue, Keller says. A methadone clinic was not a part of that vision. orking with Philadelphia-based Urban Partners, the city has put together a 10-year City Center Plan, which began in 2014, to enhance the towns quality of life and attract new developers, investors, and businesses. 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. Two more telltale signs of Hagerstowns plight are present here as well: The countys storefront offices sit in an all-but-abandoned shopping center, and nearby is a Superfund site, less than a mile from three public schools, and still in need of remediation two decades after it was added to the EPAs National Priorities List. The 30-count indictment alleges the operation trafficked large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base and cocaine hydrochloride from Hagerstown to Berkeley County, West Virginia, between. Hagerstown PD's Biggest Drug Bust Caught On Film By Copwatch HTOWN She discusses plans for the rollout of a new awareness program, Washington Goes Purple, a symbolic color adopted by opioid prevention advocates, geared toward steering youth away from substance abuse. 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. HAGERSTOWN (WJZ) -- Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Drugs, money, weapons confiscated during an operation last week in Hagerstown. Brother and Sister Arrested After Police Seize $24 Million During Drug Bust -- The number of meth cases, particularly of one-pot meth labs in Western Maryland, has been experiencing a recent surge. The man seemed nervous. Call (240) 382-2757 or get your auth barcode quickly online. Hagerstown, MD 2 days ago. While the most pressing question confronting Hagerstownand other resource-deprived towns in Maryland such as Frostburg, Cumberland, Cambridge, Snow Hill, Elkton, and Edgewoodmay be how to get immediate help to those struggling with addiction, the broader question is more vexing: How does an isolated, blue-collar town recover from the worst drug epidemic in U.S. historyon top of45 years of deindustrialization? A drug bust by Hagerstown (MD) Police Department early this morning resulted in the confiscation of crack cocaine and nearly $4,000 in cash. Theyll deliver. 29th person arrested in drug ring case linked to appliance store Its hope or heroin out here.. 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. $90K worth of cocaine found in Hagerstown home, three arrested - WMAR Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. A Narcotics Cop Loses His Daughter to a Heroin Overdose - The Atlantic Corey Diehl, two counts of distribution of heroin. Jazzmen Vaughn, one count distribution of heroin and one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. Narcotics Task Force | Hagerstown, MD - Official Website 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. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Stories About Drug Bust - CBS Baltimore The first search was in the 500 block of Lynnehaven Drive in Hagerstown. College Park mayor, DC COVID Centers to close at the end of March, Mother calls for answers after son killed by police, MTPD: Two teenagers arrested, one had gun, Burglar used Germantown mans toothbrush, razor,, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. FBI Fifteen Members of Alleged Drug Ring Arrested Six people in Hagerstown, Maryland, conspired to distribute enough fentanyl to kill 1 million people, or 25 times the population of Hagerstown, federal prosecutors say. Another resident artist, Anthony Jones Jr., is a recovering cocaine addict and alcoholic who credits artand Engine Roomas part of his salvation, giving him a sense of purpose and allowing him to be creative rather than self-destructive. Its a huge step forward. 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 talks enthusiasticallyand genuinelyabout the $40-million downtown revitalization effort and Hagerstowns future. Including Brookes father. 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. Smith accessed the storage unit on 39 separate occasions and obtained at least 250 grams of narcotics during his visits. He is being held at the Washington County Detention Center on a $80,000 bond. Brooke died while waiting for insurance approval for a $700 monthly shot of Vivitrol, which reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Additionally, through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Smith supplied narcotics to Tyler and Eddie Ware, who were Hagerstown, Maryland heroin and fentanyl drug dealers. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The huge A&W Johnston clock, first built in 1836 and later refurbished, still stands four stories above the town square in a period brick building. Justin Ernest Riggs, 33, was arrested Saturday and is accused of leaking information to a drug trafficking organization . In the early 1980s, King ran a large drug operation in East Baltimore and was a well-known figure, driving a DeLorean sports car and smoking with a bejeweled Zippo. 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. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Washington County Narcotics Task Force for their work in the investigation. According to a 2016 report from the U.S. surgeon general, only one in 10 people with an addiction problem receives treatment. Along with a prescription for the anti-seizure medication Topamax, his family doctor prescribed him Vicodin to be taken after each episode. HAGERSTOWN (WJZ) --Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Daily, he watches people, mostly in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, selling and scoring drugs in the citys central parking lot behind the gallery. Jim Robison, Director for the Washington County Narcotics Task Force. Police tactics in Pennsylvania prostitution stings - York Daily Record On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. Now its everywhere here, she says. Scrubbing Baltimores Marble Steps Was My Very First Job, How Actress Rachel Hilsons Baltimore Roots Influence Her Work Today, The Mount Vernon Virtuosi is Much More Than a Chamber Orchestra, Deer Park, MD Was Once an Elite VacationlandThanks in Part to its Famous Water, Artist James Evans Uses Photographs and Words to Combat Prejudice in Nature, Baltimore School for the Arts Debuts a Student-Run Newspaper. Agents say anyone wishing to report narcotics information is encouraged to contact the task force by calling 301-791-3205, emailing drugtip@washco-md.net, orvisiting their website at wcntf.net. I mean you can kind of look at it as a small part of the community that we you know are dealing with but we know its not just at the end of security road, washignton gardens that end of town, its all over the town, said Sgt. 3, in Hagerstowns North End; and Daniel Matthew Anderson, 28, of 1008 Security Road, Apt. Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, also known as Papi, 48, of the Dominican Republic, is one of 34 people indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of West Virginia on charges stemming froma multi-state drug operation, according to Randolph J. Bernard, the district's acting U.S. attorney. 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 firearms during a drug bust this week involving multiple agencies, officials said. I fully bought into the War on Drugs and what Reagan was doing, he says. As a result of the executed search warrant at Smiths storage unit, law enforcement located 15.4 grams of heroin, 8.9 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, digital scales with suspected heroin residue, numerous small plastic baggies, and a glass jar containing a suspected cutting agent. Enough Fentanyl to Kill 1 Million People Seized in Hagerstown Bust Nine People Indicted in Historic Drug Bust on Maryland Eastern Shore Robison. Weve been struggling for decades and hopefully this will get the ball rolling, she says. 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. When the University System of Maryland satellite campus at University Plaza was established in the city center in 2005, it was the first time anything like that had moved into town in decades: something big, with money behind it and staying power. The person arrested on the outstanding warrant was Violet Benjamin, 53, of Hagerstown. Timothy Michael Ford, age 23 of Hagerstown, MD (1) Possession of heroin (2) HAGERSTOWN, Md. CARROLL COUNTY 30-year-old James Samms was arrested for drug distribution conspiracy. He couldnt hold down a job for more than a month or two, he says, and bounced around from one employer to the next: cleaning bathrooms, painting houses, waiting tables, making pizza. Thirty-two-year-old City Councilwoman Emily Keller, a go-getter single mom and insurance agent, lost her oldest friend to an overdose and ran for office specifically to lead the fight against the opioid epidemic. four counts of possession with intent to distribute spice, three counts of maintaining a common nuisance for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Washington street leading east at the hagerstown public square in 1957. The first indictment names 25 defendants accused in one or more of the drug conspiracies. We have more kids living with their grandparents and a greater need for foster parents. Baltimore, Maryland Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. 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. The team lost its Orioles affiliation in the 1980s when the Os said goodbye to Hagerstown and hello to nearby Frederick. Simmers, an outgoing, thick-shouldered 53-year-old, joined the military out of high school in the early 1980s with the intention of going into law enforcement. Those charged are: Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, also known as "Papi," 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland and the Dominican Republic The trail, which he helped develop, is primarily for economic development but also gives residents a sense of place and pride in their community. Its like watching a slow train crash coming that you dont know how to stop.. Baltimore, Md. Beckette was charged with three counts each of intent to distribute narcotics and possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not marijuana, according to online court records. Youll see people dressed up nice to see a play or film, and you have addicts walking around, says Matthew Hast, a sculptor who lives at Engine Room.
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