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Additionally, in less than one month, Smith and Tyler contacted each other 714 times by cell phone. 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. Weve been struggling for decades and hopefully this will get the ball rolling, she says. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of heroin. The Frederick Police Department is seeking assistance locating a 17-year-old male, who has been missing since June. HAGERSTOWN, Md. We had 13 infant deaths over the past two years, eight of whom were born substance exposed and later died at home because of neglect or some other cause, Piercy says. Had we not gotten this building donated, it never wouldve happened, says Hovermale, whos lived in Hagerstown most of his life and now serves as principal of BISFA. "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. Please provide as much information as possible, Your name and address/information is optional. It could not be determined Wednesday if those arrested remained in custody or were on pre-trial release. (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. Justin Ernest Riggs, 33, was arrested Saturday and is accused of leaking information to a drug trafficking organization . The indictment seeks forfeiture of $410,016 in cash, six vehicles and a .22-caliber revolver and ammunition. By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca Photography by BENJAMIN C. TANKERSLEY | July 2018, By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca. NOW PLAYING ABOVE. 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. (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.). 2023 Washington County. 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. For the past three years, the Simmerses have been working to build Brookes House in Washington County. The task force said Oliver was previously arrested by Hagerstown Police Department officers last Wednesday for fleeing on foot from a car accident in the south end of Hagerstown. 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. President Donald Trump spoke to a packed hangar at Hagerstown Regional Airport during his campaign in 2016 and won the county vote by a 2-1 margin. 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. Politically, Washington County has always tilted right. Plainspoken but good-natured, and a well-respected journalist, Elliott started atTheHerald-Mailin 1970. Most Popular. William Miller, one count of distribution of heroin. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "The operation in this case, I think it's fair to say, dealt with millions of dollars of drugs and proceeds," he 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. While he fled, Grant fell and injured himself, Kerns said. Holland is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center without bond. 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. To me, the urban improvement project is huge. HAGERSTOWN, Md. Its these fast-rolling interstates that carry the deadly opioids, including heroin and fetanyl, flooding Marylands western counties. The number of child abuse cases has gone up. Nicholas Silverman, 20, Bronson Benjamin,33, both of Hagerstown, and Farrah Wisner, 19, of Baltimore were arrested and charged with possession. 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. Corey Diehl, two counts of distribution of heroin. Calls can not be returned if call blocking features are used. February 21, 2023. Photography by Benjamin C. Tankersley | July 2018. the sun has yet to rise over South Mountain, but already a line of cars is arriving at the Phoenix Health Center in Hagerstown. 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. 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. Stay up to date with the latest community news written by award-winning editors and local reporters. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Smith and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Smith will be sentenced to 92 months in federal prison followed by 4 years of supervised release. 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. First published on July 28, 2021 / 2:11 PM. He moved on to 10-milligram Percocet, then 30-milligram. a shuttered barber shop on Jonathan Street. The epidemic has not peaked yet by any means, says Mike Piercy, director of the Washington County Department of Social Services. 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 . They buy the stuff to cut it, the right color dye, and press in a number or an initial, and it looks like the real thingPercocet or whatever.. While this is small victory for the task force, agents say the communitys drug problem is far from over. U.S. Attorney's Office December 21, 2012. Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. 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. 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. For a century, Hagerstown had been the dominant city, and Frederick a little cow town. Jazzmen Vaughn, one count distribution of heroin and one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. he one place in Maryland that has had a long struggle with heroin use is Baltimore, of course. 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. 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. The trail, which he helped develop, is primarily for economic development but also gives residents a sense of place and pride in their community. 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. 6:15 AM. Hagerstown, Maryland Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl and Heroin Drug Charges Drug Enforcement Administration Jarod A. Lock Margerette Derosiers, 28, of Federalsburg, Maryland. As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. The homes that were searched were in Preston, Hurlock, Federalsburg, Lanham and Crofton. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Its a huge step forward. "If they just had a pipefine," he said. 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. 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. 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. Butler is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. For the lions share, howevera nearly all-white mix of solitary adults, young and middle-aged couples, teenagers, and parents dragging along childrenit looks like life has been a struggle for a while. o understand the DNA of Hagerstown, you have to go back to the 19th-century industrial boom. I was gonna overdose and kill myself.. Police said a more than three-year investigation. The following agencies maintain drop boxes to drop off your not-needed prescription medication. On Monday, the following people were brought into custody: Terry Ernede Jr., two counts of distribution of heroin. HAGERSTOWN, Md. 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. Their daughter, who grew up playing soccer and basketball, became hooked on pills by 18 and then turned to heroin. Lewis Chamberlain, two counts of distribution of heroin. These included the creation of a multi-jurisdictional Maryland State Police Heroin Investigation Unit to focus on mid-to-upper-level heroin and opioid distribution operations. 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. This isnt political. Theres an unmistakable world-wearinesswritten into their faces. 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. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Clear skies. Others walk from nearby apartments. Through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Smith supplied narcotics to Tyler and Eddie Ware, Hagerstown, Maryland heroin and fentanyl drug dealers. Its hope or heroin out here.. Theyll deliver. Those kind of manufacturing jobs generally pulled up stakes for cheaper labor in the South or overseas, a trend that has continued. In 2016 (the most recent year available), an average of 113 prescriptions for opioids were written for every 100 Washington County residentsnearly twice the national average. Authorities are reporting 12 people have been charged with sex offenses, and seven victims have been placed into the harm reduction program with the Washington County Health Department. 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. Washington County > Washington County Maryland Narcotics Task Force. Nine arrested in early morning drug bust in Westernport. The first search was in the 500 block of Lynnehaven Drive in Hagerstown. George Wallace campaigned here in 1968 and 1972. Baltimore, Maryland - Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.. 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. Multiple law enforcement agencies ultimately provided assistance with the investigation. 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. A Hagerstown. Smith and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Smith will be sentenced to 92 months in federal prison followed by 4 years of supervised release. George Alfred Butler, 56, of Federalsburg, Maryland. 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. 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. 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 legitimately thought about that for five or six hours that day. 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,. Economists studying national trends say people should simply vacate towns like Hagerstownand seek work elsewhere. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. From the early 1970s onward, there was a vacuumeconomically, socially, politically, culturally. Walter Javier Martinez, 17, was last seen in the area of Wellington Court and may have left in a blue vehicle. As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. Employment or private drug testing options: 5, 10, 12 panel urine drug tests, DOT drug testing and DOT Random Pool, breath alcohol, EtG 3 day alcohol tests, 90 day hair follicle drug tests. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. So far in 2020, the rate of overdoses in the county has increased with 83 non-fatal . 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. HAGERSTOWN, Md. 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 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.