And for the past two-and-a-half decades, the city has taken a public health approach to addiction, offering methadone programs, needle exchanges, HIV testing, and inpatient treatment opportunities before the pharmaceutical industry dumped OxyContin and other opioids onto a nave market. She also cites the new safe needle program implemented by the county health departmentalbeit over the objection of a couple of state delegatesto combat Hepatitis C and HIV infections. To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. However, the shops we visited had good deals and were brightly lit, clean and had nice staff. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Three Hagerstown residents charged following drug bust - Herald-Mail Media 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. The Washington County Narcotics Task Force recovered approximately 188 grams of suspected heroin and 95 grams of suspected methamphetamine Monday from 807 Hamilton Blvd. The rest of the state did not share that history, and Hagerstown and towns like it are dealing with something entirely new. And now, Hagerstowns unique coordinates, once its greatest asset, play a leading role in enabling its public health crisis. Grant was treated at Meritus Medical Center and released to authorities, Kerns said. "If they just had a pipefine," he said. "Drug traffickers don't work nine-to-five hours, so the people investigating this case have to work 24-seven, and this team worked for approximately a year investigating this case," he said. Timothy Michael Ford, age 23 of Hagerstown, MD (1) Possession of heroin (2) I was gonna overdose and kill myself.. 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. Cameron Tibbs, one counts of distribution of heroin. After being arrested on July 1, police said Oliver assaulted an officer and was found with a controlled dangerous substance. 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. Inside the bedroom, Heather Strausbaugh sat talking with her client the conversation ranged from nightlife and bars to their families. But the sad fact is that in 2018, Phoenix Health Center drawsmore people downtown than anything else on a Saturday. (Photos from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office) 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. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Local Hagerstown, MD. We need to maintain a sense of hope. People often use the term self-medicating to describe why people use drugs or alcohol, says Ron Zuskin, a licensed clinical social worker and former University of Maryland faculty member who has worked in Western Maryland. 34 indicted for expansive drug trafficking operation The following people were indicted during the investigation: Justin Aaron Spain, 41, of Lanham, Maryland. The indictment seeks forfeiture of $410,016 in cash, six vehicles and a .22-caliber revolver and ammunition. 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 . Kevin Simmers, a retired Hagerstown police officer, lost his 19-year-old daughter to an overdose and is now building a womens recovery center, Brookes House. I fully bought into the War on Drugs and what Reagan was doing, he says. Smith accessed the storage unit on 39 separate occasions and obtained at least 250 grams of narcotics during his visits. Spain is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. 6:15 AM. I wanted to knock down doors and haul bad guys off to jail, and thats what I did for 30 years., Since his daughters death, Simmers and Brooke's stepmother, Dana, have been very public about sharing their experience, sparing none of their familys worst moments and pain. A block away, the City of Hagerstown opened the artist-run Engine Room Art Space and four artist apartments above it in 2015, which also breathes some life into the city. Doctor Explains. If effective, they will be a start in rebuilding Hagerstowns economy and, ultimately, its quality of life. Having beautiful open spaces is important, and its important to have a connection to your community, says city engineer Rodney Tissue, who moved to Hagerstown in 1986 and raised his two daughters here. Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. TTY users may call any government office through the Maryland Relay Service 1-800-735-2258, Drug Activity Phone Tip Line 301-223-2632. HAGERSTOWN, Md. 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The drugs seized during the investigation amounted to 8.6 kilograms of cocaine, 1.02 kilograms of heroin, and 12 ounces of crack cocaine, with a street value of approximately $471,000. The opioid trade has become so lucrative here that dealers from Baltimore and even New York travel to Hagerstown, and often farther into West Virginia, because they can earn up to $40 more a gram for heroin and a similarly higher profit margin for fake pills, like the counterfeit, fentanyl-laced Vicodin that killed Prince. Peanut King: After 37 years in prison, a giant of Baltimore's drug After the public schools and hospital, the largest employers in Washington County today are the sprawling Citi and First Data call centers. (In 2007, three Purdue executives pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the misbranding of OxyContin and paid $34.5 million in fines, while the company agreed to pay $600 million to resolve a Department of Justice investigation.) 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. Opioid crisis:Hagerstown, Washington County closer to seeing some opioid settlements, Drug deaths:Fatal drug overdoses hit record levels during COVID. Hagerstown, Maryland Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl and Christina Trenton Nee, COO, and Charlie Mooneyhan, CEO, of Wells House. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The NFT is housed within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the DEA's Hagerstown Office. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Baltimore, Maryland Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. 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. The two have been charged in connection with a drug distribution conspiracy in the Westminster area of Carroll County, Maryland. My daughter went to school with her. Up until that point, most people in Washington County viewed addiction as a criminal justice issue. Those charged are: Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, also known as "Papi," 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland and the Dominican Republic We have a long way to go, but the school has brought life downtown, Hovermale says. 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. 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. A mortality rate increase for any first-world demographic group had been virtually unheard of for decades, with the exception of Russian men after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a phenomenon blamed on soaring alcoholism rates. 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. The investigation involved federal, state and local law enforcement agencies includingthe Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force; the Berkeley and Jefferson County sheriff's offices; the Martinsburg, Charles Town, Ranson and Hagerstown police departments;the Washington County Drug Task Force; West Virginia and Maryland state police; the FBI; the U.S. basketball state quarterfinal highlights, D.C. high school basketball playoffs highlights (3/3/23), Maryland high school basketball playoffs highlights, Court docs reveal videos fmr. Police said a more than three-year investigation. 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. 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. -- The number of meth cases, particularly of one-pot meth labs in Western Maryland, has been experiencing a recent surge. Joseph Archie Spain III, 44, of Preston, Maryland. #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! Some of the NFT agents are also federally deputized members of the DEA, which gives these local agents enforcement powers anywhere in the United States. Ive seen growth in investor confidence, says Director of Community & Economic Development Jill Frick Thompson, attributing it to the citys 10-year plan. E, all face drug charges, according to Kerns and online court records. ; Cody William Grant, 26, of 826 Dewey Ave., Apt. The operation was further supported by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative, the Governors Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services, and the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network Initiative. 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. 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. Though extreme, the transition seemed gradual. (DG) - A sex trafficking operation was dismantled in Washington County. Press Release. Mayor Richard Trump (no relation to the president),who ran for office on a slate that promised to return God to City Hall, abruptly resigned without explanation after nine months in office in 2006. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. We kind of got shit pie handed to us., Source: Maryland Vital Statistics Administration. Beckette and Anderson were being held at the detention center Wednesday, each in lieu of a $50,000 bond. Additionally, in less than one month, Smith and Tyler contacted each other 714 times by cell phone. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Martinsburg Police Chief George Swartwood said the arrests and seizures of drugs represent "more to this community than just numbers on a page.". The National Road, Route 40, began carrying wagon trains through Hagerstown to the Ohio River Valley in 1818. His associate, 33-year-old Rodney Gaines, or "Butta" was also arrested. Grant was charged with five counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not marijuana and two counts of distributing narcotics, according to online court records. But how many people do you know that have been attacked by a terrorist? (ABC7) The news from Hagerstown wasn't good. Feds seize enough fentanyl to kill ONE MILLION people in Maryland George Alfred Butler, 56, of Federalsburg, Maryland. Instead, he sought help by way of Suboxone (the commercial name for a combination of buprenorphineand naloxone), which he considers a miracle. Maryland State Police officer with Hagerstown ties accused of leaking 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. A huge component of this initiative includes a $40-million effort, started in 2017, which will expand three key institutionsthe University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, the Maryland Theatre, and Barbara Ingram School for the Artswith a slated completion date of spring of 2020. 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. Through the investigation and the evidence, officers were able to obtain 11 search warrants. She mentions the increased training for Narcan, a medication that can prevent fatal overdoses, across the city. Several charged in Cumberland area prostitution sting Police seized drugs, cash and weapons from the residence, Kerns said. 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. 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. Kevin and Dana Simmers at the future site of Brooke's House. Christine Jenkins, one count of distribution of heroin. Maryland bust nets $1M in drugs, 9 indictments, 34 guns A months-long investigation initiated by citizen complaints resulted in the arrests of two suspected drug dealers Wednesday. 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. Later, outside a Rotary Club meeting, Keller talks more optimistically about the citys current efforts to tackle the crisis. 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. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Im not in economic development, but you also cant help but wonder, how do you build a workforce and attract new businesseswhich we desperately needwhen this is happening everywhere in your community?. Two drug busts were done on Wednesday after a three month investigation discovered a drug trafficking organization in the area. Theyre bringing in students from nearby counties and occasionally out of state. 2023 Washington County. Holland is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center without bond. a shuttered barber shop on Jonathan Street. 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. 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. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. With the highways and economic factors, its all a perfect storm.. More than 1,000 pounds of prescription medicine is collected in the first two hours of the event, which is held in an empty parking lot outside the county health offices. FBI Fifteen Members of Alleged Drug Ring Arrested Although the city has seen little interest from developers for the empty lots along the trail, Tissue says several nearby buildings have been purchased and rehabbed. 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. 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. 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. Grant briefly escaped, fleeing while handcuffed, and was captured a short distance away, Kerns said. HAGERSTOWN, Md. FBI arrests 30 in drug sweep across Western Pa.; 3 remain at large To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. Its not the white picket fence. Bernard had high praise for the cooperative efforts of the agencies involved, saying "they did a tremendous job. Call (240) 382-2757 or get your auth barcode quickly online. 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. Low 33F. There were a few people dedicated to establishing a Maryland orchestra, a few people trying to revive the Maryland Theatre. The school started with 85 students but this year surpassed 300, even though that meant holding classes in hallways and stairwells. Michael Anthony Holland, 36, of Hurlock, Maryland. Christina Boward, two counts of distribution of heroin. 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. Its these fast-rolling interstates that carry the deadly opioids, including heroin and fetanyl, flooding Marylands western counties. Law enforcement determined that the reported vehicle was registered to Smith and that the unit had been rented to Smith under a fraudulent New York State drivers license that bore Smiths photograph and the alias Michael Silver. 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. Forget Special Agent in Charge Washington, DC @DEAWashingtonDC June 29, 2022 Contact: Public Information Office Phone Number: (571) 362-1934 For Immediate Release "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. More than 20 indicted after drug bust in Hagerstown - DC News Now Multiple law enforcement agencies ultimately provided assistance with the investigation. 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, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines in Caroline and Dorchester counties and parts of Delaware. Read More. 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. Multi-Jurisdictional Investigation Dismantles Western MD Drug On June 29, the task force said agents presented cases to a Grand Jury that resulted in the indictment of 16 Hagerstown residents. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. 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. The trail, which he helped develop, is primarily for economic development but also gives residents a sense of place and pride in their community. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Baltimore Magazine. HAGERSTOWN, Md. NEWARK, NJTwo members of an alleged drug trafficking ring based . THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Hagerstown - Tripadvisor A Hagerstown. Stories About Drug Bust - CBS Baltimore All Rights Reserved. he one place in Maryland that has had a long struggle with heroin use is Baltimore, of course. Conspiracy to commit possession with intent to distribute narcotics. Michelle Lynn Spain, 48, of Preston, Maryland, James Eugene Simms, 36, of Great Mills, Maryland. , Rep. Hoyer on legacy, traditions and Speaker McCarthy, How much more DMV residents will pay for healthcare, Husband of missing DC real estate executive arrested, Virginia H.S. Thats a lot of drugs, Kerns said Wednesday in a phone interview. For the past three years, the Simmerses have been working to build Brookes House in Washington County. A Narcotics Cop Loses His Daughter to a Heroin Overdose - The Atlantic On Monday, task force agents said they found Oliver with a significant amount of heroin.