On Monday, task force agents said they found Oliver with a significant amount of heroin. 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. Eight planned downtown catalyst projects include an expanded City Farmers Market and the creation of a cultural trail, part of which has already been implemented. Instead, he sought help by way of Suboxone (the commercial name for a combination of buprenorphineand naloxone), which he considers a miracle. We need to maintain a sense of hope. NOW PLAYING ABOVE. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman and Joan Mathias, who are prosecuting the case. Two more telltale signs of Hagerstowns plight are present here as well: The countys storefront offices sit in an all-but-abandoned shopping center, and nearby is a Superfund site, less than a mile from three public schools, and still in need of remediation two decades after it was added to the EPAs National Priorities List. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. George Wallace campaigned here in 1968 and 1972. 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. The seizures, and the refills, continued for about eight months, then ceased, but Morningstar found himself dependent on the narcoticphysically, mentally, and emotionally. 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. The opioid trade has become so lucrative here that dealers from Baltimore and even New York travel to Hagerstown, and often farther into West Virginia, because they can earn up to $40 more a gram for heroin and a similarly higher profit margin for fake pills, like the counterfeit, fentanyl-laced Vicodin that killed Prince. Travon Bristol, two counts possession with intent to distribute spice aka K-2 and one count of maintaining a common Nuisance. 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. / CBS Baltimore. Grant was treated at Meritus Medical Center and released to authorities, Kerns said. 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. 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. (It also broke a record last year with eight homicides, sending its per capita murder rate past Philadelphia and Chicago.). Citing a release from the U . 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 seized drugs have a street value of approximately $471,000, according to prosecutors. For a century, Hagerstown had been the dominant city, and Frederick a little cow town. NTF has partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Hagerstown Resident Office and works closely with Hagerstown Police Department's Street Crime Unit. 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. 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. Drugs, money, weapons confiscated during an operation last week in Hagerstown. 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,. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Hagerstown, MD 4 days ago. Miguel Angel Santiago Caraballo, 30, of Chambersburg, Pa. The indictment seeks forfeiture of $410,016 in cash, six vehicles and a .22-caliber revolver and ammunition. 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. A methadone clinic was not a part of that vision. Beckette was charged with three counts each of intent to distribute narcotics and possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not marijuana, according to online court records. She talks enthusiasticallyand genuinelyabout the $40-million downtown revitalization effort and Hagerstowns future. Rise of a street boss By 1973,. There were a few people dedicated to establishing a Maryland orchestra, a few people trying to revive the Maryland Theatre. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. The Caroline and Dorchester County Task Forces, Homeland Security Investigations and Drug Enforcement Administration, were further assisted by Dorchester County States Attorneys Office, Dorchester County Sheriffs Office, MSP Special Operations Group, MSP STATE Team, MSP Homicide, MSP PACE, MSP Gun Unit, MSP Criminal Investigations (Easton, Centreville, Salisbury, Princess Anne and Worcester), MSP Technical Surveillance Unit, Easton Police Department, Wicomico County Sheriffs Office, Talbot County Narcotics Task Force, Kent County Narcotics Task Force, Queen Annes County Narcotics Task Force, Somerset County Narcotics Task Force, Queen Anne's County Sheriffs Office, Federalsburg Police, and the Hurlock Police Department. The trail, which he helped develop, is primarily for economic development but also gives residents a sense of place and pride in their community. Kevin and Dana Simmers at the future site of Brooke's House. That investigation led to the Narcotics Task Force obtaining 9 search warrants. Theyre bringing in students from nearby counties and occasionally out of state. 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. 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. 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? Conspiracy to commit possession with intent to distribute narcotics. 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. Theyll deliver. All Rights Reserved. The number of child abuse cases has gone up. First published on July 28, 2021 / 2:11 PM. 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. My daughter went to school with her. Up until that point, most people in Washington County viewed addiction as a criminal justice issue. Hagerstown is still a meat and potatoes kind of place, says Elliott. DEA agents and partner agencies in Western Maryland are seeing a resurgence of one-pot meth labs in the area -- noting more incidents of meth labs in the area this year than the last 5 years combined. 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. Bernard had high praise for the cooperative efforts of the agencies involved, saying "they did a tremendous job. Smith accessed the storage unit on 39 separate occasions and obtained at least 250 grams of narcotics during his visits. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. 6:15 AM. On Monday, the following people were brought into custody: Terry Ernede Jr., two counts of distribution of heroin. A Hagerstown. Julie E. Greene is a reporter for The Herald-Mail. 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. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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.. (ABC7) The news from Hagerstown wasn't good. Derosiers isBeing held at the Dorchester County Detention Center held without bond. Low 33F. The school started with 85 students but this year surpassed 300, even though that meant holding classes in hallways and stairwells. She discusses plans for the rollout of a new awareness program, Washington Goes Purple, a symbolic color adopted by opioid prevention advocates, geared toward steering youth away from substance abuse. Nicholas Silverman, 20, Bronson Benjamin,33, both of Hagerstown, and Farrah Wisner, 19, of Baltimore were arrested and charged with possession. Its a phone call away. Shortly after Grant was taken into custody, the task force executed a search-and-seizure warrant at 807 Hamilton Blvd., Kerns said. Images courtesy of Hagerstown police Department. he one place in Maryland that has had a long struggle with heroin use is Baltimore, of course. "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. Hitachi Rail Factory "on track" in Hagerstown. 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. Those charged are: Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, also known as "Papi," 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland and the Dominican Republic 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. Theres an unmistakable world-wearinesswritten into their faces. The two have been charged in connection with a drug distribution conspiracy in the Westminster area of Carroll County, Maryland. TheCaroline County Drug Task Force is a multi-agencydrug task force, based inRidgely, Maryland; which functions under the direction and control of thedrug task forceadvisoryboard. An official website of the United States government. High 56F. Whether these efforts, which remain largely public investmentschools, libraries, parkscan spark enough commercial interest to compete with the Valley Mall, the two Walmart Supercenters, and the Premium Outlets remains to be determined. Christina Trenton Nee, COO, and Charlie Mooneyhan, CEO, of Wells House. To me, the urban improvement project is huge. "If they just had a pipefine . Hagerstown built automobiles, bottled Coca-Cola, made shoes, clothing, furniture, and Breyers ice cream, and was the worlds largest manufacturer of pipe organs. Its hope or heroin out here.. More than 80 percent of students at three Hagerstown public schools receive free or reduced-priced lunches. We get to engage and feel like were being a positive influence on the city.. ; Cody William Grant, 26, of 826 Dewey Ave., Apt. 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. This pooling of investigative resources benefits each investigative unit with increased manpower, less duplication of effort, and by coordinating the targeting of drug offenders. The loot was wrapped in bundles. The homes that were searched were in Preston, Hurlock, Federalsburg, Lanham and Crofton. Four people were apprehended, three in relation to the possession of controlled substances, and one on an outstanding warrant. Thats how strong the grip of this addiction is.. On February 19, city health officials reported the number of heroin overdoses to which EMS crews and city police responded to. Nine People Indicted in Historic Drug Bust on Maryland Eastern Shore, Eastern Shore Neighbors React to Historic Drug Bust, Governors Office Of Crime Prevention, Youth, And Victim Services, Dorchester County States Attorneys Office, Dorchester County Task Forces, Homeland Security Investigations And Drug Enforcement Administration, Multiple Threats Made to Delaware Schools, Gunshot from Pocket Leads to Multiple Charges for Milford Man, UPDATE: Delaware Man Fatally Shot Near Felton Identified, Two Salisbury Men Arrested on Multiple Rape and Weapon Charges, Recreational Crabbing Regulation Changes in Chesapeake Bay, Transparency Requirements for Group Health Plans, Possession of large amount of controlled dangerous substance, Distribution of large amount of controlled dangerous substance, 2 counts of conspiracy to distribute narcotic, Possession with intent to distribute narcotics, 2 counts of possession with intent to distribute narcotics, Conspiracy with intent to distribute narcotics, 3 counts conspiracy to distribute large amounts of narcotics, 3 counts conspiracy to distribute narcotics, Rifle/shotgun possession by disqualified person, 2 counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances, 4 counts conspiracy to distribute narcotics, Firearm possession with a felony conviction, Possession of controlled dangerous substance not-marijuana, Conspiracy to distribute large amounts of controlled dangerous substances, 2 counts possession of controlled dangerous substances not-marijuana, 2 counts of conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute narcotics, 2 counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances, 3 counts of conspiracy with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances, 3 counts of use of a firearm in drug trafficking, 2 counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance not marijuana, Possession of more than 10 grams of marijuana. According to a 2016 report from the U.S. surgeon general, only one in 10 people with an addiction problem receives treatment. Lock All rights reserved. This isnt political. Timothy Michael Ford, age 23 of Hagerstown, MD (1) Possession of heroin (2) Walter Javier Martinez, 17, was last seen in the area of Wellington Court and may have left in a blue vehicle. Joshua Reed, one count of distribution of heroin. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Joseph Archie Spain III, 44, of Preston, Maryland. Maybe 10-15 percent dont give you any problem and are trying to do the right thing, says Lee Green, an addictions counselor who is also an active member of a 12-step program. Others arrive in pajamas and sweatpants, barely awake, clutching telltale lockboxes for take-home doses. This was a normal kid, the daughter of a respected ex-city cop. The person arrested on the outstanding warrant was Violet Benjamin, 53, of Hagerstown. 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. Jackie Devon Thompson, 41, of Frederick, Md. The NFT is housed within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the DEA's Hagerstown Office. 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. Its a huge step forward. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. Maybe longer. Now, however, nearly all of the rails leading into downtown have been removed. The first indictment names 25 defendants accused in one or more of the drug conspiracies. In 2009, an old theater was transformed into BISFA, a magnet arts high school. Martinsburg Police Chief George Swartwood said the arrests and seizures of drugs represent "more to this community than just numbers on a page.". 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. The charges includeconspiracy to distribute drugs, possession with intent to distribute drugs, and money laundering. Read More. All rights reserved. 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. Jim Robison, Director for the Washington County Narcotics Task Force. 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. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Clear skies. George Alfred Butler, 56, of Federalsburg, Maryland. Grant was being held without bond Wednesday at the Washington County Detention Center. 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. Now, how many families do you know that have been affected by addiction? Police said a more than three-year investigation. But there is often trauma, or simply the stress of living in poverty, that is putting them under intense pressure.. 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. 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. Baltimore, Maryland - Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.. 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. Dealers now have their own pill presses, explains Drug Enforcement Administration agent Robert Grob at a recent Drug Take Back Day, a collaboration between the Hagerstown Police Department, county health department, and the DEA that encourages local residents to turn in leftover medication for safe disposal. Williams is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center held without bond. Opioid crisis:Hagerstown, Washington County closer to seeing some opioid settlements, Drug deaths:Fatal drug overdoses hit record levels during COVID. A months-long investigation initiated by citizen complaints resulted in the arrests of two suspected drug dealers Wednesday. I wanted to be in narcotics. Andre Luther Woolford, 33, of Hurlock, Maryland. A handful, with newer haircuts and cars, might be professionalssomewhere in this politically conservative county. Hagerstown, MD 3 days ago. The guilty plea was announced by Jarod Forget,Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)'s Washington Division; United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; and Sheriff Douglas Mullendore of the Washington County Narcotics Task Force. 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. Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. A list of the indicted individuals is available on the U.S. Department of Justice website. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. 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 . Brooke died while waiting for insurance approval for a $700 monthly shot of Vivitrol, which reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Quicker than ordering a pizza.". The National Road, Route 40, began carrying wagon trains through Hagerstown to the Ohio River Valley in 1818. 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. The state Attorney General's Office announced that 13 people, including a dietary sergeant at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women in Anne Arundel County, were indicted on charges they. The below persons are wanted or need to be identified by WCNTF at this time for drug violations or involved in a drug investigation. E, all face drug charges, according to Kerns and online court records. Thats a lot of drugs, Kerns said Wednesday in a phone interview. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. "The operation in this case, I think it's fair to say, dealt with millions of dollars of drugs and proceeds," he said. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Forget Special Agent in Charge Washington, DC @DEAWashingtonDC June 29, 2022 Contact: Public Information Office Phone Number: (571) 362-1934 For Immediate Release Spain is being held without bond at the Caroline County Detention Center. 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. Additionally, in less than one month, Smith and Tyler contacted each other 714 times by cell phone. 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. s the former managing editor of Hagerstowns daily newspaper,The Herald-Mail, Dave Elliott witnessed firsthand the citys downward spiral. 2023 Washington County. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. HAGERSTOWN, Md. Lewis Chamberlain, two counts of distribution of heroin. 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. Andrew Clopper, one count of distribution of heroin. 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. Just like all shopping centers it's half empty now and easy to find parking. 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.