he one place in Maryland that has had a long struggle with heroin use is Baltimore, of course. 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. Maryland drug bust involving fentanyl, cocaine Please provide as much information as possible, Your name and address/information is optional. The man seemed nervous. Martinsburg Police Chief George Swartwood said the arrests and seizures of drugs represent "more to this community than just numbers on a page.". Smith accessed the storage unit on 39 separate occasions and obtained at least 250 grams of narcotics during his visits. Several charged in Cumberland area prostitution sting 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. Its these fast-rolling interstates that carry the deadly opioids, including heroin and fetanyl, flooding Marylands western counties. 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. Multiple law enforcement agencies ultimately provided assistance with the investigation. 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. 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. Lewis Chamberlain, two counts of distribution of heroin. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. In truth, Hagerstown has a higher poverty rate than Baltimore City, a higher percentage of people under 65 with a disability, lower home-ownership rates, and a lower percentage of its workforce with college degrees. Jim Robison, Director for the Washington County Narcotics Task Force. Including Brookes father. 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. While this is small victory for the task force, agents say the communitys drug problem is far from over. "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. Bernard had high praise for the cooperative efforts of the agencies involved, saying "they did a tremendous job. Justin Ernest Riggs, 33, was arrested Saturday and is accused of leaking information to a drug trafficking organization . Hagerstown, Washington County closer to seeing some opioid settlements, Fatal drug overdoses hit record levels during COVID, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy, Ana Ercilia Luna, 36, of Hagerstown and the Dominican Republic, Juan Manuel De La Rosa-Tejeda, also known as Little Papi, 35, of Hagerstown and the Dominican Republic, Daniel Inoa-Rodriguez, also known as Danny, 21, of Hagerstown, Tyrone Lewis, also known as "Roc," 42, of Hagerstown, Edwin Orrillio, also known as J Money, 34, of Hagerstown, Carlos M. Nunez-Arias, also known as Charlote, 51, of Hagerstown, Edson Velasquez-Lopez, 50, of Martinsburg, Chelsea Nicole Pinkcett, 33, of Martinsburg, Ronald MichaelBowers, 52, of Martinsburg, Devron Jerel Brown, also known as Country, 33, of Martinsburg. "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. 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. Washington street leading east at the hagerstown public square in 1957. When his Vicodin prescription ended, he started buying it on the street, until 5-milligram Vicodins werent enough. 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. To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. 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. Six years ago, at an I-81 coalition meeting of stakeholders, Western Maryland state police commander Lt. Mike Fluharty coined the phrase Heroin Highway to describe Hagerstowns I-81/I-70 nexus. (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. On Tuesday afternoon, the following people were brought into custody: Thor Swenson, two counts of distribution of heroin. The school started with 85 students but this year surpassed 300, even though that meant holding classes in hallways and stairwells. The first search was in the 500 block of Lynnehaven Drive in Hagerstown. Its true that from the outside, the county seat of some 40,000 people still looks a bit like Mayberry, with its turn-of-the-century architecture, elegant City Park, church spires, tidy sidewalks, and walkable streets. $90K worth of cocaine found in Hagerstown home, three arrested - WMAR Hagerstown, Md. Local Hagerstown, MD. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman and Joan Mathias, who are prosecuting the case. West Virginia State Police have denied a request to release dash camera footage or body camera footage of an incident on Feb. 12 on Interstate 81 in Berkeley County, W.Va., in which a Hagerstown man died after a struggle with a trooper. A list of the indicted individuals is available on the U.S. Department of Justice website. Hagerstown Center Of Alleged Drug Conspiracy, Prosecutors Say Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug. Low 33F. Christine Jenkins, one count of distribution of heroin. District of New Jersey (973) 645-2888. Its a huge step forward. 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. Fifteen Members of Alleged Drug Ring Arrested. People began to say, Oh, if it can happen to that family, it can happen to my family, Sterling says. Several weapons were seized, including two stolen handguns, as well as rifles and shotguns, Kerns said. In a town with two traditional public high schoolsNorth High and South Highit has become the norm for incoming generations to attend several funerals before seeing their first classmate get married. Indirectly, they could have a hand at reversing the public health crises in the long run, civic leaders say. NEWARK, NJTwo members of an alleged drug trafficking ring based . The two have been charged in connection with a drug distribution conspiracy in the Westminster area of Carroll County, Maryland. I legitimately thought about that for five or six hours that day. 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. By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca Photography by BENJAMIN C. TANKERSLEY | July 2018, By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca. 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. Daily, he watches people, mostly in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, selling and scoring drugs in the citys central parking lot behind the gallery. 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. Arrest made in Feb. 5 Hagerstown homicide. Shortly after Grant was taken into custody, the task force executed a search-and-seizure warrant at 807 Hamilton Blvd., Kerns said. 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. (Photos from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office) Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. 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. To me, the urban improvement project is huge. 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. Baltimore, Maryland - Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.. This designation provides local agents enforcement powers anywhere in the United States. Grant briefly escaped, fleeing while handcuffed, and was captured a short distance away, Kerns said. A sitting train and truck behind a lot along West Franklin Street. Hagerstown investigation leads to arrests of 2 alleged drug dealers Washington County > Washington County Maryland Narcotics Task Force. He is being held at the Washington County Detention Center on a $80,000 bond. Ozempic Face showing up in Hagerstown? Doctor Explains Holland is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center without bond. HAGERSTOWN (WJZ) --Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug trafficking conspiracy. The NTF is responsible for the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of persons who violate the controlled dangerous substance laws of Maryland, regardless of the sophisitication of the illicit operation. After the public schools and hospital, the largest employers in Washington County today are the sprawling Citi and First Data call centers. News FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. Washington Daily Voice - Community News and Information for Boonsboro Life is great now, he says. Most Popular. WV State Police cite legal exemptions to deny records involving 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. Md. 'drug kingpins' arrested; more than $1M in drugs seized 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. I cannot count the number of friends who have died after I almost did, says Katie Wetzel, 27, a recovering addict in Hagerstown who is now married with three kids. I was on the other side, and I get it, and people have every right to make that point.. Kerns said Anderson was part of an investigation that occurred prior to the search warrant being executed. 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. Maryland bust nets $1M in drugs, 9 indictments, 34 guns 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, MD 21740. 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. Hagerstown, MD 3 days ago. With the highways and economic factors, its all a perfect storm.. In 2009, an old theater was transformed into BISFA, a magnet arts high school. Rise of a street boss By 1973,. . 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. A Hagerstown. 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. 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. Theres an unmistakable world-wearinesswritten into their faces. Maybe longer. 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. Gregory Lovern Williams Jr., 39, of Federalsburg, Maryland. A months-long investigation initiated by citizen complaints resulted in the arrests of two suspected drug dealers Wednesday. 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. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. HAGERSTOWN, Md. HAGERSTOWN, Md. 15 Eastern Panhandle residents charged in expansive drug-trafficking And now, Hagerstowns unique coordinates, once its greatest asset, play a leading role in enabling its public health crisis. 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. Then he went from eating it to snorting it. Now, how many families do you know that have been affected by addiction? 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. 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. 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. 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. Hagerstown built automobiles, bottled Coca-Cola, made shoes, clothing, furniture, and Breyers ice cream, and was the worlds largest manufacturer of pipe organs. Torri Deann Richardson, 37, and Roger Dean Saylor III, 30, were. However, the shops we visited had good deals and were brightly lit, clean and had nice staff. From the early 1970s onward, there was a vacuumeconomically, socially, politically, culturally. He moved on to 10-milligram Percocet, then 30-milligram. Thats everyone I know. Or an illegal immigrant? 6:15 AM. At Meritus Medical Center outside of downtown Hagerstown, nearly three children a week are born addicted to opioids. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. You can imagine as a police officer and a father how I felt, Simmers says. 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. , 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. . For the past three years, the Simmerses have been working to build Brookes House in Washington County. On February 19, city health officials reported the number of heroin overdoses to which EMS crews and city police responded to. Grant was being held without bond Wednesday at the Washington County Detention Center. 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. 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. It could not be determined Wednesday if those arrested remained in custody or were on pre-trial release. Woolford is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center held without bond. Those kind of manufacturing jobs generally pulled up stakes for cheaper labor in the South or overseas, a trend that has continued. Others sell or trade their methadone or bupe (opioid medications used to suppress withdrawal symptoms) to buy the real thing, faking drug tests to game the system. Now its everywhere here, she says. More than 80 percent of students at three Hagerstown public schools receive free or reduced-priced lunches. 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.