Call (240) 382-2757 or get your auth barcode quickly online. "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. 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 . 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. In 2019, there were 119 non-fatal and 24 fatal overdoses reported in Allegany County. Anderson was charged with distribution of narcotics and possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not marijuana, according to online court records. 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. Grant also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of needles related to drugs; possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana; creating a common nuisance through distributing narcotics; and escape in the second degree, according to Kerns and online court records. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Police say most of these deals happened in broad daylight. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Their daughter, who grew up playing soccer and basketball, became hooked on pills by 18 and then turned to heroin. It's hard to imagine Hagerstown and similar cities receiving restitution anywhere near the true cost of the opioid epidemic and officials acknowledge that. 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 . The rear of North and Locust Food Mart. Maryland State Police officer with Hagerstown ties accused of leaking We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Consider, for example, that three of the four railroad properties on the Monopoly board were spokes in that Hagerstown hub, connecting the city to Richmond, Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York. Life is great now, he says. Theyll deliver. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Peanut King: After 37 years in prison, a giant of Baltimore's drug The two have been charged in connection with a drug distribution conspiracy in the Westminster area of Carroll County, Maryland. Police Seize 83 Pounds of Meth in Massive Montgomery Co. Drug Bust Three people were taken into custody in Washington County last week on drug charges involving fentanyl and crack cocaine. 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. Still at largewere Mota, Luna, Rodriguez, Longus, Rose,Orrillio,Velasquez-Lopez,Pinkcett, Gregory, Brown and Nunez-Arias, authorities said. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. s the former managing editor of Hagerstowns daily newspaper,The Herald-Mail, Dave Elliott witnessed firsthand the citys downward spiral. You can imagine as a police officer and a father how I felt, Simmers says. Spain is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. We need to maintain a sense of hope. Conspiracy to commit possession with intent to distribute narcotics. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Politically, Washington County has always tilted right. Nine People Indicted in Historic Drug Bust on Maryland Eastern Shore Prosecutors allege that Luna Mota, the owner of Top 3 Sources, was using the West Washington Street store to keep and sell drugs. 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. 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. 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. William Miller, one count of distribution of heroin. HAGERSTOWN, Md. His associate, 33-year-old Rodney Gaines, or "Butta" was also arrested. Grant briefly escaped, fleeing while handcuffed, and was captured a short distance away, Kerns said. Most Popular. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorneys Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. 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. 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. #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 task force also arrested Shawn Oliver on Monday for having an active warrant out for his arrest for the distribution of heroin, police said. Its low-income, and I think its hard for people to find and keep employment there, he says. The NFT is housed within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the DEA's Hagerstown Office. George Alfred Butler, 56, of Federalsburg, Maryland. 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. Stories About Drug Bust - CBS Baltimore I wanted to be in narcotics. Robison. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. . But how many people do you know that have been attacked by a terrorist? While this is small victory for the task force, agents say the communitys drug problem is far from over. The first indictment names 25 defendants accused in one or more of the drug conspiracies. Those kind of manufacturing jobs generally pulled up stakes for cheaper labor in the South or overseas, a trend that has continued. Its not as conscious a decision as that. Butler is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. The number of child abuse cases has gone up. 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. The team lost its Orioles affiliation in the 1980s when the Os said goodbye to Hagerstown and hello to nearby Frederick. Spain is being held without bond at the Caroline County Detention Center. 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. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . The 30-count indictment alleges the operation trafficked large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base and cocaine hydrochloride from Hagerstown toBerkeley County, West Virginia, between August2020and June of this year, according to a news release from Bernard's office. 6:15 AM. Economists studying national trends say people should simply vacate towns like Hagerstownand seek work elsewhere. A drug bust by Hagerstown (MD) Police Department early this morning resulted in the confiscation of crack cocaine and nearly $4,000 in cash. As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. One (seemingly) solid mayor, Republican Donald Frush, who served from 1981-1985 and was known as the Father of Planning in Washington County, disappeared during his campaign for a second term and was found by a reporter at a Johns Hopkins psych ward. Frederick County Sheriff's Office Assists In Taking Down Major Drug My daughter went to school with her. Up until that point, most people in Washington County viewed addiction as a criminal justice issue. Christine Jenkins, one count of distribution of heroin. Stay up to date with the latest community news written by award-winning editors and local reporters. 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. Methadone, he argues, is a drug just like heroin. He found an opiate specialist doctor and took Suboxone for about a year, then safely weaned off. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Washington County Narcotics Task Force for their work in the investigation. The Washington County Narcotics Task Force performed the drug raid at a Hagerstown apartment after first obtaining a warrant based on a narcotics investigation of that address. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. 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. The below persons are wanted or need to be identified by WCNTF at this time for drug violations or involved in a drug investigation. 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. icki Sterling, director of the Washington County Health Departments Division of Behavorial Health Services, says the turning point for the county in addressing the opioid epidemic was the death of former Hagerstown police sergeant Kevin Simmers daughter, Brooke, who overdosed on heroin 10 days after she had been released from a four-month prison stay. Narcotics Task Force | Hagerstown, MD - Official Website There were things going on, but no cohesiveness at the top.. Major Drug and Weapons Bust Announced from February 9th in Hagerstown Indirectly, they could have a hand at reversing the public health crises in the long run, civic leaders say. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Multiple law enforcement agencies ultimately provided assistance with the investigation. But there is often trauma, or simply the stress of living in poverty, that is putting them under intense pressure.. However, the shops we visited had good deals and were brightly lit, clean and had nice staff. Julie E. Greene is a reporter for The Herald-Mail. Forget Special Agent in Charge Washington, DC @DEAWashingtonDC June 29, 2022 Contact: Public Information Office Phone Number: (571) 362-1934 For Immediate Release four counts of possession with intent to distribute spice, three counts of maintaining a common nuisance for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. HAGERSTOWN, Md. At Meritus Medical Center outside of downtown Hagerstown, nearly three children a week are born addicted to opioids. Read More. Information entered into this system will be submitted to the Washington County Narcotics Task Force only. HAGERSTOWN, Md. That investigation led to the Narcotics Task Force obtaining 9 search warrants. Several charged in Cumberland area prostitution sting The Frederick County Sheriff's Office arrested and charged 12 people in a drug bust Wednesday. The charges includeconspiracy to distribute drugs, possession with intent to distribute drugs, and money laundering. Others walk from nearby apartments. Two drug busts were done on Wednesday after a three month investigation discovered a drug trafficking organization in the area. 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. "If they just had a pipefine," he said. In 2009, an old theater was transformed into BISFA, a magnet arts high school. 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. 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 mayor and City Council at the time didnt want it. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. on the U.S. Department of Justice website. Brother and Sister Arrested After Police Seize $24 Million During Drug Bust Police tactics in Pennsylvania prostitution stings - York Daily Record 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. Calls can not be returned if call blocking features are used. He moved toThe Frederick News-Postin 1989 but lived in Hagerstown until 2000. For the past 44 years, since Valley Mall was built on the outskirts of town, shuttering the department stores, retail shops, restaurants, theaters, and five and dimes, there have been hopes of reviving Hagerstowns once-thriving city center. Local Hagerstown, MD. This designation provides local agents enforcement powers anywhere in the United States. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. 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. 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. More than 20 Hagerstown residents were indicted for drug trafficking after the Washington County Narcotics Task Force wrapped up a two month long drug investigation into the distribution of heroin, crack cocaine and spice in the area. Thats how strong the grip of this addiction is.. Nicholas Silverman, 20, Bronson Benjamin,33, both of Hagerstown, and Farrah Wisner, 19, of Baltimore were arrested and charged with possession. But he moved his family to Pennsylvania a couple years ago, leaving Hagerstown behind. A release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office revealed the following: Hagerstown, Maryland Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl and EASTON, Md. After several months of investigation and the help of several agencies, nine people have been indicted for allegedly being apart of a drug trafficking organization in two Maryland Eastern Shore counties. Beckette and Anderson were being held at the detention center Wednesday, each in lieu of a $50,000 bond. 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. A handful, with newer haircuts and cars, might be professionalssomewhere in this politically conservative county. Some NTF agents are even deputized by the DEA as Federal Task Force Officers (TFO's). If effective, they will be a start in rebuilding Hagerstowns economy and, ultimately, its quality of life. Baltimore, Maryland Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. We kind of got shit pie handed to us., Source: Maryland Vital Statistics Administration. For a century, Hagerstown had been the dominant city, and Frederick a little cow town. 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. This pooling of investigative resources benefits each investigative unit with increased manpower, less duplication of effort, and by coordinating the targeting of drug offenders. Or an illegal immigrant? 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. , 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. Shortly after Grant was taken into custody, the task force executed a search-and-seizure warrant at 807 Hamilton Blvd., Kerns said. Woolford is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center held without bond. We get to engage and feel like were being a positive influence on the city.. 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 can collect their extra day's supply . Information for Victims of 1st Million Dollars, LLC. Three Hagerstown residents charged following drug bust - Herald-Mail Media Plainspoken but good-natured, and a well-respected journalist, Elliott started atTheHerald-Mailin 1970. seventy-five miles west of Baltimore, the sun has yet to rise over South Mountain, but already a line of cars is arriving at the Phoenix Health Center in Hagerstown. Theyre bringing in students from nearby counties and occasionally out of state. 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. A Hagerstown pawn shop. 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. On Tuesday afternoon, the following people were brought into custody: Thor Swenson, two counts of distribution of heroin. It is alleged that Luna Mota, the owner of Top 3 Sources, a business in Hagerstown, Maryland, was using his business on West Washington Street for the purpose of having and selling controlled substances. Investigators have seized 8.6 kilograms of cocaine, 1.02 kilograms of heroin and 12 ounces of cocaine base. Andre Luther Woolford, 33, of Hurlock, Maryland. 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. I legitimately thought about that for five or six hours that day. Daily, he watches people, mostly in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, selling and scoring drugs in the citys central parking lot behind the gallery. Miguel Angel Santiago Caraballo, 30, of Chambersburg, Pa. Nine arrested in early morning drug bust in Westernport | WCBC Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Its nearly impossible to find a family, including those among the Hagerstown Police Department and City Council, that has not been affected by the towns still-escalating opioid epidemic. 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. Baltimore, Md. Washington, D.C. Man Convicted After Nine-Day Trial for Use of a Firearm in Connection with a Murder and a Robbery, and for a Drug Distribution Conspiracy. Please provide as much information as possible, Your name and address/information is optional. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Washington street leading east at the hagerstown public square in 1957. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Thirteen people, including corrections staffer, charged in alleged Ozempic Face showing up in Hagerstown? Doctor Explains Hagerstown, Md. "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. 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. While he fled, Grant fell and injured himself, Kerns said. Can Hagerstown Kick Its Habit? - Baltimore Magazine 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? U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. 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. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Michael Anthony Holland, 36, of Hurlock, Maryland. HAGERSTOWN, MD Five Hagerstown residents have been arrested after a major drug and weapons bust February 9th announced by The Washington County Sheriff's Office and its law enforcement partners this week. A sitting train and truck behind a lot along West Franklin Street. Ive seen growth in investor confidence, says Director of Community & Economic Development Jill Frick Thompson, attributing it to the citys 10-year plan. 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. 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. The Frederick Police Department is seeking assistance locating a 17-year-old male, who has been missing since June. High 56F. He is being held at the Washington County Detention Center on a $80,000 bond. 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.