in Hagerstowns North End, according to Lt. Todd Kerns, who served as the task forces director in 2013. (It also broke a record last year with eight homicides, sending its per capita murder rate past Philadelphia and Chicago.). U.S. Attorney's Office December 21, 2012. Plainspoken but good-natured, and a well-respected journalist, Elliott started atTheHerald-Mailin 1970. Just like all shopping centers it's half empty now and easy to find parking. Ten years ago, the Hagerstown native started having seizures once or twice a week that left his muscles tense, his bones aching, and his head feeling like it might explode. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. HAGERSTOWN, Md. Now, however, nearly all of the rails leading into downtown have been removed. 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. On Tuesday afternoon, the following people were brought into custody: Thor Swenson, two counts of distribution of heroin. For a century, Hagerstown had been the dominant city, and Frederick a little cow town. Justin Ernest Riggs, 33, was arrested Saturday and is accused of leaking information to a drug trafficking organization . 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. Mostly sunny skies with gusty winds. Herman Mills, a Republican mayor from 1965-1973 who owned several gas stations and stores, was a sort of kingpin of the local ruling class, as Elliott puts itand the last in a long line of businessmen and factory owners investing in Hagerstown. Ive seen growth in investor confidence, says Director of Community & Economic Development Jill Frick Thompson, attributing it to the citys 10-year plan. Hagerstown, Maryland Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl and 34 indicted federally; feds allege drug ring that spanned West Virginia 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. HAGERSTOWN, Md. Md. 'drug kingpins' arrested; more than $1M in drugs seized 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. "If they just had a pipefine . Stories About Drug Bust - CBS Baltimore 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. Politically, Washington County has always tilted right. Others arrive in pajamas and sweatpants, barely awake, clutching telltale lockboxes for take-home doses. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Now, how many families do you know that have been affected by addiction? 34 indicted in drug ring run from Hagerstown appliance store, feds say An official website of the United States government. Hagerstown is still a meat and potatoes kind of place, says Elliott. 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. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. Thirteen people, including corrections staffer, charged in alleged 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Four people were apprehended, three in relation to the possession of controlled substances, and one on an outstanding warrant. A drug bust by Hagerstown (MD) Police Department early this morning resulted in the confiscation of crack cocaine and nearly $4,000 in cash. A methadone clinic was not a part of that vision. (DG) - A sex trafficking operation was dismantled in Washington County. District of New Jersey (973) 645-2888. 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. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( He blames forces beyond the citys reach, as well as futile and often misguided leadership. "If they just had a pipefine," he said. The crisis, he says, is driving a dramatic increase in infant mortality rates, a bellwether for other social problems. A handful, with newer haircuts and cars, might be professionalssomewhere in this politically conservative county. Cameron Tibbs, one counts of distribution of heroin. A locked padlock This isnt political. Add to all of this one more factor: Three prisons in Hagerstown, includings two state penitentiaries, have had a habit, according to local law enforcement officials, of leaving ex-offenders in town once theyre released. 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. I wanted to be in narcotics. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Additionally, in less than one month, Smith and Tyler contacted each other 714 times by cell phone. As a result of those search warrants, police recovered over 18 kilograms of cocaine, 2.7 kilograms of heroin/fentanyl, 5.9 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 170 pounds of marijuana and approximately 34 firearms along with money believed to be connected to the drug operation. Maryland drug bust involving fentanyl, cocaine 3, in Hagerstowns North End; and Daniel Matthew Anderson, 28, of 1008 Security Road, Apt. HAGERSTOWN, Md. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. He liked the feeling the Vicodin gave him and began to sometimes take the pills just for that hydrocodone buzz. Kevin and Dana Simmers at the future site of Brooke's House. 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. 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. On June 29, the task force said agents presented cases to a Grand Jury that resulted in the indictment of 16 Hagerstown residents. It could not be determined Wednesday if those arrested remained in custody or were on pre-trial release. Hagerstown, MD 2 days ago. 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. HAGERSTOWN, Md. Multiple law enforcement agencies ultimately provided assistance with the investigation. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. It's hard to imagine Hagerstown and similar cities receiving restitution anywhere near the true cost of the opioid epidemic and officials acknowledge that. Woolford is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center held without bond. The steel tracks of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad started carrying locomotives from Baltimore in the same direction, straight through the heart of Hagerstown, two years after the end of the Civil War. Still, they are something of a Hail Mary pass for municipalities. Grant was treated at Meritus Medical Center and released to authorities, Kerns said. 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.. Its a huge step forward. Drug bust nets cocaine, cash - Franklin County Free Press / CBS Baltimore. Please provide as much information as possible, Your name and address/information is optional. All rights reserved. News Flash Frederick, MD CivicEngage Baltimore, Maryland - Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.. More than 80 percent of students at three Hagerstown public schools receive free or reduced-priced lunches. A Narcotics Cop Loses His Daughter to a Heroin Overdose - The Atlantic The team lost its Orioles affiliation in the 1980s when the Os said goodbye to Hagerstown and hello to nearby Frederick. Forget Special Agent in Charge Washington, DC @DEAWashingtonDC June 29, 2022 Contact: Public Information Office Phone Number: (571) 362-1934 For Immediate Release Indirectly, they could have a hand at reversing the public health crises in the long run, civic leaders say. To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. Founded in 1986, the Washington County Narcotics Task Force (NFT) is comprised of members from the Hagerstown Department of Police and the Washington County Sheriffs Office. A lot of them are just taking their normal dose and get hit with this new shit cut with fentanyl. (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. Maryland bust nets $1M in drugs, 9 arrests, 34 guns Authorities said they seized more than $1 million in drugs, including 18 kilograms of cocaine, 2.7 kilograms of heroin and . Citing a release from the U . 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Including Brookes father. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. Nobody I know. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office arrested and charged 12 people in a drug bust Wednesday. 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. Police In Western Maryland Dismantle Sex Trafficking Operation Heroin Highway: Part 5 - Hagerstown, Md. 'Round the clock emergency' - WJLA 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. 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. A release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office revealed the following: 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. Michael Anthony Holland, 36, of Hurlock, Maryland. 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. nyone wishing to report narcotics information is encouraged to contact the task force by calling 301-791-3205, emailing, Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Best smart home devices for older users, according, How to get started on spring cleaning early, according, Worried about your student using ChatGPT for homework? Information entered into this system will be submitted to the Washington County Narcotics Task Force only. High 56F. Later, outside a Rotary Club meeting, Keller talks more optimistically about the citys current efforts to tackle the crisis. 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. Or an illegal immigrant? 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. Simms is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. But the current economic picture in Hagerstown stands in stark contrast to the days when it earned its Hub City nicknamewhen five major passenger and freight lines merged here in a way that resembled the spokes of a wheel. A Hagerstown. 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. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Baltimore, Maryland Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Press Release. "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 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. This designation provides local agents enforcement powers anywhere in the United States. "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 of the Washington County Narcotics Task Force. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. HAGERSTOWN (WJZ) --Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Bernard had high praise for the cooperative efforts of the agencies involved, saying "they did a tremendous job. HAGERSTOWN (WJZ) -- Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug trafficking conspiracy. The first indictment names 25 defendants accused in one or more of the drug conspiracies. Though extreme, the transition seemed gradual. The first three municipality lawsuits against drugmakersall Ohio casesare scheduled to be heard in U.S. District Court in Cleveland early next year. Joseph Archie Spain III, 44, of Preston, Maryland. 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 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. Police seized drugs, cash and weapons from the residence, Kerns said. Call (240) 382-2757 or get your auth barcode quickly online. Christina Trenton Nee, COO, and Charlie Mooneyhan, CEO, of Wells House. 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. You can imagine as a police officer and a father how I felt, Simmers says. 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. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. The substance abuse treatment center sits across the street from an abandoned hospital parking garage (the hospital moved out of downtown like nearly everything else), and a seemingly endless stream of addicts in late-model cars, minivans, and pickup trucks come and go until the pharmacy closes at noon. 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. 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. The trail, which he helped develop, is primarily for economic development but also gives residents a sense of place and pride in their community. There were a few people dedicated to establishing a Maryland orchestra, a few people trying to revive the Maryland Theatre. Washington street leading east at the hagerstown public square in 1957. 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. So far in 2020, the rate of overdoses in the county has increased with 83 non-fatal . Julie E. Greene is a reporter for The Herald-Mail. When you cant find work, cant pay your billswho wants to think about that? Torri Deann Richardson, 37, and Roger Dean Saylor III, 30, were. Hagerstown, Maryland Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl and Heroin Drug Charges Drug Enforcement Administration Jarod A. 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 firearms during a drug bust this week involving multiple agencies, officials said. He was taken into custody Tuesday at his Security Road home, Kerns said. As Western Maryland battles the opioid crisis, meth is surging - DEA 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. Additionally, through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Smith supplied narcotics to Tyler and Eddie Ware, who were Hagerstown, Maryland heroin and fentanyl drug dealers. Martinsburg Police Chief George Swartwood said the arrests and seizures of drugs represent "more to this community than just numbers on a page.". The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Baltimore Magazine. Spain is being held without bond at the Caroline County Detention Center. The seizures, and the refills, continued for about eight months, then ceased, but Morningstar found himself dependent on the narcoticphysically, mentally, and emotionally. These kinds of places are where non-college-educated, white working-class people have been dying in increasing numbers from what Princeton economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton referred to in their landmark 2015 paper as deaths of despairsuicide, drug poisoning, and liver diseasewhich are reversing the life expectancy progress that the U.S. has seen over the past 50 years. Hagerstown Center Of Alleged Drug Conspiracy, Prosecutors Say 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. Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. 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. Drug & alcohol testing in Hagerstown, MD at 2 clinics. Those charged are: Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, also known as "Papi," 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland and the Dominican Republic Drugs, money, guns seized in Maryland bust - dcnewsnow.com 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. Two drug busts were done on Wednesday after a three month investigation discovered a drug trafficking organization in the area. This was a normal kid, the daughter of a respected ex-city cop. He moved on to 10-milligram Percocet, then 30-milligram. Two additional private methadone treatment centers have since opened in the area, not to mention the Washington County Health Departments outpatient addiction program, which treated more than 11,000 patients between 2013 and its closing this spring due to state budget cuts. In 2009, an old theater was transformed into BISFA, a magnet arts high school. Before long, he was buying heroin because it was cheaper than pills, and he went from snorting to injecting it, simply to maintain the same highand eventually just to function, if you could call it that. When his Vicodin prescription ended, he started buying it on the street, until 5-milligram Vicodins werent enough. While he fled, Grant fell and injured himself, Kerns said. $90K worth of cocaine found in Hagerstown home, three arrested - WMAR On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. 29th person arrested in drug ring case linked to appliance store 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. By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca Photography by BENJAMIN C. TANKERSLEY | July 2018, By Ron Cassie and Lauren LaRocca. The National Road, Route 40, began carrying wagon trains through Hagerstown to the Ohio River Valley in 1818. Prosecutors allege that Luna Mota, the owner of Top 3 Sources, was using the West Washington Street store to keep and sell drugs. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. Grant briefly escaped, fleeing while handcuffed, and was captured a short distance away, Kerns said. Now its everywhere here, she says. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. She can be reached via email at julieg@herald-mail.com. The office is currently staffed by personnel to include officers from the Hagerstown City Police Department, Deputies from the Washington County Sheriffs Department, an Intel Analyst, a Gang Analyst, two prosecutors from the State Attorneys Office, and two support staff. Shortly after Grant was taken into custody, the task force executed a search-and-seizure warrant at 807 Hamilton Blvd., Kerns said. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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,.
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