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. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of heroin. The narcotics task force is a joint operation of the Washington County Sheriffs Office and the Hagerstown Police Department. 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. Cameron Tibbs, one counts of distribution of heroin. Bernard had high praise for the cooperative efforts of the agencies involved, saying "they did a tremendous job. Now its everywhere here, she says. "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. You can imagine as a police officer and a father how I felt, Simmers says. To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. 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. Opioids may be the deadliest catastrophe to hit Hagerstown, but the current crisis follows a long string of blows to a city that never made the transition from a mechanical to a hi-tech economy. Michael Anthony Holland, 36, of Hurlock, 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. Through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Smith supplied narcotics to Tyler and Eddie Ware, Hagerstown, Maryland heroin and fentanyl drug dealers. -- The number of meth cases, particularly of one-pot meth labs in Western Maryland, has been experiencing a recent surge. By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca Photography by BENJAMIN C. TANKERSLEY | July 2018, By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca. George Wallace campaigned here in 1968 and 1972. A list of the indicted individuals is available on the U.S. Department of Justice website. Local Hagerstown, MD. Its a problem, says former Hagerstown police chief Victor Brito, who resigned in May to lead the Rockville force. 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. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. Its not as conscious a decision as that. Smith accessed the storage unit on 39 separate occasions and obtained at least 250 grams of narcotics during his visits. 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. A months-long investigation initiated by citizen complaints resulted in the arrests of two suspected drug dealers Wednesday. Perhaps as many as three-quarters of those in local methadone programs, according to recovering addicts interviewed for this story, still get high, using coke, crack, ecstasy, Spice, or benzos like Xanax, which are particularly dangerous in combination with methadone. And now, Hagerstowns unique coordinates, once its greatest asset, play a leading role in enabling its public health crisis. 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. Contact WCNTF if you have information on these persons (301) 791-3205, (Use the blue dots to scroll the list of wanted persons). 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. Nobody I know. The following agencies maintain drop boxes to drop off your not-needed prescription medication. The Washington County Narcotics Task Force recovered approximately 188 grams of suspected heroin and 95 grams of suspected methamphetamine Monday from 807 Hamilton Blvd. My daughter went to school with her. Up until that point, most people in Washington County viewed addiction as a criminal justice issue. 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. Simms is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. 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? Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. 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. 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. 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. Christina Trenton Nee, COO, and Charlie Mooneyhan, CEO, of Wells House. 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. Maybe longer. The alleged traffickers distributed drugs in Caroline and Dorchester counties, as well as parts of Delaware, according to police, who said investigators from multiple agencies developed enough. Washington street leading east at the hagerstown public square in 1957. Lock 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. 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. 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. 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. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. Economists studying national trends say people should simply vacate towns like Hagerstownand seek work elsewhere. 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, MD 21740. Through the investigation and the evidence, officers were able to obtain 11 search warrants. On Tuesday afternoon, the following people were brought into custody: Thor Swenson, two counts of distribution of heroin. Press Release. On June 29, the task force said agents presented cases to a Grand Jury that resulted in the indictment of 16 Hagerstown residents. A Hagerstown. Hagerstown is still a meat and potatoes kind of place, says Elliott. "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. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. Their daughter, who grew up playing soccer and basketball, became hooked on pills by 18 and then turned to heroin. They dont stand a chance., The societal ripple effect of the opioid epidemic cant be overstated, says Piercy, who doesnt have to look any farther than outside his downtown Potomac Street office window to witness people nodding and passing out. The Frederick Police Department is seeking assistance locating a 17-year-old male, who has been missing since June. Christine Jenkins, one count of distribution of heroin. The bust began in the late afternoon Monday as Grant was contacted to do a deal involving an informant, and was taken into custody inside the Sheetz on Potomac Avenue, Kerns said. For the past three years, the Simmerses have been working to build Brookes House in Washington County. 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. While he fled, Grant fell and injured himself, Kerns said. Jackie Devon Thompson, 41, of Frederick, Md. 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 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. Is Hagerstown eating its way to dementia? (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.) We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. October of 2011, I woke up one day and thought, this is the day you die or the day you get clean. Including Brookes father. NTF has partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Hagerstown Resident Office and works closely with Hagerstown Police Department's Street Crime Unit. 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. Most arent even here to get clean but to get by. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. 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. 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. Rise of a street boss By 1973,. "They represent lives saved from overdose deaths and the continuing nightmare of drug addiction and the never-ending spinoffs of associated crimes from robberies, retail thefts, shootings and others that tear at the very fabric of our great and prosperous community," he said. The NFT is housed within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the DEA's Hagerstown Office. 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. Spain is being held without bond at the Caroline County Detention Center. Three people were taken into custody in Washington County last week on drug charges involving fentanyl and crack cocaine. 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. The epidemic has not peaked yet by any means, says Mike Piercy, director of the Washington County Department of Social Services. 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. 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. 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. Its a huge step forward. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 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 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 . 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. But he moved his family to Pennsylvania a couple years ago, leaving Hagerstown behind. Bernard said agents serveda search warrant at the store in June and seized approximately $500,000 worth of drugs, including a kilogram of heroin and nine kilograms of cocaine. It could not be determined Wednesday if those arrested remained in custody or were on pre-trial release. Additionally, in less than one month, Smith and Tyler contacted each other 714 times by cell phone. You have permission to edit this article. 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The trail, which he helped develop, is primarily for economic development but also gives residents a sense of place and pride in their community. 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. The drugs seized during the investigation amounted to 8.6 kilograms of cocaine, 1.02 kilograms of heroin, and 12 ounces of cocaine base "crack," with a street value of approximately $471,000. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Its these fast-rolling interstates that carry the deadly opioids, including heroin and fetanyl, flooding Marylands western counties. At that time, police apprehended Beckette, who was inside the duplex, Kerns said. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman and Joan Mathias, who are prosecuting the case. 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. (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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Washington County > Washington County Maryland Narcotics Task Force. Read More. Those charged are: Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, also known as "Papi," 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland and the Dominican Republic "The fact that a good portion of the investigation occurred during the pandemic makes the results even more impressive.". Police seized drugs, cash and weapons from the residence, Kerns said. 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 search warrants were a result of a multi- state . Hagerstown built automobiles, bottled Coca-Cola, made shoes, clothing, furniture, and Breyers ice cream, and was the worlds largest manufacturer of pipe organs. Christina Boward, two counts of distribution of heroin. People began to say, Oh, if it can happen to that family, it can happen to my family, Sterling says. 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. As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. With a projected $125 million in investments needed to fully develop the proposala big ifthe project, according to city officials, has the potential to create 875 jobs. The indictment seeks forfeiture of $410,016 in cash, six vehicles and a .22-caliber revolver and ammunition. / CBS Baltimore. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. CARROLL COUNTY 30-year-old James Samms was arrested for drug distribution conspiracy. 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. 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. (It also broke a record last year with eight homicides, sending its per capita murder rate past Philadelphia and Chicago.). 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. 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 rest of the state did not share that history, and Hagerstown and towns like it are dealing with something entirely new. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. A handful, with newer haircuts and cars, might be professionalssomewhere in this politically conservative county. There were a few people dedicated to establishing a Maryland orchestra, a few people trying to revive the Maryland Theatre. Grant briefly escaped, fleeing while handcuffed, and was captured a short distance away, Kerns said. This has been very beneficial since drug violators frequently move through the tri-state area. Hagerstown, Maryland Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl and Heroin Drug Charges Drug Enforcement Administration Jarod A. a shuttered barber shop on Jonathan Street. 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. February 21, 2023. Information entered into this system will be submitted to the Washington County Narcotics Task Force only. 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. 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. (Photos from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office) Frederick County Sheriff's Office Assists In Taking Down Major Drug Operation In Hagerstown Last Week February 13, 2023 - 3:40 pm Five people were arrested; large quantities of drugs confiscated. 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 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. Now, however, nearly all of the rails leading into downtown have been removed. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. The seized drugs have a street value of approximately $471,000, according to prosecutors. On Monday, task force agents said they found Oliver with a significant amount of heroin. (DG) - A sex trafficking operation was dismantled in Washington County. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Prosecutors allege that Luna Mota, the owner of Top 3 Sources, was using the West Washington Street store to keep and sell drugs. Along with a prescription for the anti-seizure medication Topamax, his family doctor prescribed him Vicodin to be taken after each episode. 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. Williams is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center held without bond. He blames forces beyond the citys reach, as well as futile and often misguided leadership. Spain is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. 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. Two drug busts were done on Wednesday after a three month investigation discovered a drug trafficking organization in the area. HAGERSTOWN (WJZ) --Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Life is great now, he says. We have more kids living with their grandparents and a greater need for foster parents. 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.