Washington, D.C. Man Convicted After Nine-Day Trial for Use of a Firearm in Connection with a Murder and a Robbery, and for a Drug Distribution Conspiracy. Ive been a right-wing Republican all my life, Simmers says. Thats everyone I know. 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. He blames forces beyond the citys reach, as well as futile and often misguided leadership. Including Brookes father. orking with Philadelphia-based Urban Partners, the city has put together a 10-year City Center Plan, which began in 2014, to enhance the towns quality of life and attract new developers, investors, and businesses. Michael Anthony Holland, 36, of Hurlock, Maryland. William Miller, one count of distribution of heroin. Just like all shopping centers it's half empty now and easy to find parking. Michelle Lynn Spain, 48, of Preston, Maryland, James Eugene Simms, 36, of Great Mills, Maryland. The - Washington County Sheriff's Office, Maryland | Facebook Washington County, MD Narcotics Task Force Lewis Chamberlain, two counts of distribution of heroin. 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. The first three municipality lawsuits against drugmakersall Ohio casesare scheduled to be heard in U.S. District Court in Cleveland early next year. (ABC7) The news from Hagerstown wasn't good. Kevin Simmers relished locking up drug users, no matter how little crack they had on them. All rights reserved. NEWARK, NJTwo members of an alleged drug trafficking ring based . Three people were taken into custody in Washington County last week on drug charges involving fentanyl and crack cocaine. Hagerstown, Md. 6:15 AM. Police said a more than three-year investigation. The trail, which he helped develop, is primarily for economic development but also gives residents a sense of place and pride in their community. (It also broke a record last year with eight homicides, sending its per capita murder rate past Philadelphia and Chicago.). 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. Their daughter, who grew up playing soccer and basketball, became hooked on pills by 18 and then turned to heroin. 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. She talks enthusiasticallyand genuinelyabout the $40-million downtown revitalization effort and Hagerstowns future. he one place in Maryland that has had a long struggle with heroin use is Baltimore, of course. 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 . Calls can not be returned if call blocking features are used. Prosecutors allege that Luna Mota, the owner of Top 3 Sources, was using the West Washington Street store to keep and sell drugs. 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. HAGERSTOWN, Md. Christine Jenkins, one count of distribution of heroin. A methadone clinic was not a part of that vision. Timothy Michael Ford, age 23 of Hagerstown, MD (1) Possession of heroin (2) Read More. Through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Smith supplied narcotics to Tyler and Eddie Ware, Hagerstown, Maryland heroin and fentanyl drug dealers. "The drug enterprise run by the defendants involved a sophisticated operation including the use of a purported business to act as a front for drug trafficking and the laundering of hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds," Bernard said in a statement. Brother and Sister Arrested After Police Seize $24 Million During Drug Bust At Meritus Medical Center outside of downtown Hagerstown, nearly three children a week are born addicted to opioids. Jim Robison, Director for the Washington County Narcotics Task Force. 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. 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. George Wallace campaigned here in 1968 and 1972. a view from the abandoned hospital parking garage across from the antietam street clinic. Hes married with children and living his dream of being a full-time musician, touring his original folk-country songs across the U.S. 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. Ozempic Face showing up in Hagerstown? Doctor Explains The rest of the state did not share that history, and Hagerstown and towns like it are dealing with something entirely new. The mayor and City Council at the time didnt want it. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. You can imagine as a police officer and a father how I felt, Simmers says. s the former managing editor of Hagerstowns daily newspaper,The Herald-Mail, Dave Elliott witnessed firsthand the citys downward spiral. To me, the urban improvement project is huge. 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. Three Hagerstown residents charged following drug bust - Herald-Mail Media A handful, with newer haircuts and cars, might be professionalssomewhere in this politically conservative county. Beckette and Anderson were being held at the detention center Wednesday, each in lieu of a $50,000 bond. In recent decades, theyve swapped roles. Police Seize 83 Pounds of Meth in Massive Montgomery Co. Drug Bust But he moved his family to Pennsylvania a couple years ago, leaving Hagerstown behind. 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. 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. Conspiracy to commit possession with intent to distribute narcotics. High 56F. 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. 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. Weve been struggling for decades and hopefully this will get the ball rolling, she says. Youll see people dressed up nice to see a play or film, and you have addicts walking around, says Matthew Hast, a sculptor who lives at Engine Room. 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. The two have been charged in connection with a drug distribution conspiracy in the Westminster area of Carroll County, Maryland. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. The crisis, he says, is driving a dramatic increase in infant mortality rates, a bellwether for other social problems. In 2009, an old theater was transformed into BISFA, a magnet arts high school. A block away, the City of Hagerstown opened the artist-run Engine Room Art Space and four artist apartments above it in 2015, which also breathes some life into the city. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. Margerette Derosiers, 28, of Federalsburg, Maryland. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. HAGERSTOWN, Md. Grant was charged with five counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not marijuana and two counts of distributing narcotics, according to online court records. I wanted to knock down doors and haul bad guys off to jail, and thats what I did for 30 years., Since his daughters death, Simmers and Brooke's stepmother, Dana, have been very public about sharing their experience, sparing none of their familys worst moments and pain. $90K worth of cocaine found in Hagerstown home, three arrested - WMAR 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. During the early morning hours of December 20 th, the Allegany County Sheriff's Office with the assistance of numerous allied agencies executed search and seizure warrants at three separate locations in the Town of Westernport. 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. 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. Stay up to date with the latest community news written by award-winning editors and local reporters. 3, in Hagerstowns North End; and Daniel Matthew Anderson, 28, of 1008 Security Road, Apt. "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. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Hagerstown, Maryland Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl and The NFT is housed within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the DEA's Hagerstown Office. 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. I wanted to be in narcotics. Hagerstown Center Of Alleged Drug Conspiracy, Prosecutors Say Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug. Washington Daily Voice serves the towns of: Boonsboro, Fountainhead-Orchard Hills, Hagerstown, Halfway, Maugansville, Paramount-Long Meadow, Robinwood, Smithsburg. 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. A lot of them are just taking their normal dose and get hit with this new shit cut with fentanyl. This pooling of investigative resources benefits each investigative unit with increased manpower, less duplication of effort, and by coordinating the targeting of drug offenders. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. o understand the DNA of Hagerstown, you have to go back to the 19th-century industrial boom. A months-long investigation initiated by citizen complaints resulted in the arrests of two suspected drug dealers Wednesday. 29th person arrested in drug ring case linked to appliance store People began to say, Oh, if it can happen to that family, it can happen to my family, Sterling says. Opioid crisis:Hagerstown, Washington County closer to seeing some opioid settlements, Drug deaths:Fatal drug overdoses hit record levels during COVID. Peanut King: After 37 years in prison, a giant of Baltimore's drug 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. I fully bought into the War on Drugs and what Reagan was doing, he says. / CBS Baltimore. U.S. Attorney's Office December 21, 2012. Christina Boward, two counts of distribution of heroin. It could not be determined Wednesday if those arrested remained in custody or were on pre-trial release. Multiple law enforcement agencies ultimately provided assistance with the investigation. Information for Victims of 1st Million Dollars, LLC. 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. Spain is being held without bond at the Caroline County Detention Center. 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. If you are in immediate danger dial 911. Nobody I know. At that time, police apprehended Beckette, who was inside the duplex, Kerns said. Dwayne Unglebower, four counts of possession with intent to distribute spice, three counts of maintaining a common nuisance for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Baltimore, Maryland - Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.. 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. (Photos from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office) 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. Instead, he sought help by way of Suboxone (the commercial name for a combination of buprenorphineand naloxone), which he considers a miracle. 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. 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. Kimberly Thompson, one count of maintaining a common nuisance for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. However, the shops we visited had good deals and were brightly lit, clean and had nice staff. 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. Beckette also was charged with possession of a large amount of heroin (more than 28 grams); possession of a firearm in relationship to a drug-trafficking crime; creating a common nuisance through distributing narcotics; and theft of less than $1,000 in value, according to Kerns and online court records. Even as other Rust Belt towns declinelosing union jobs, community, status, and a general hope for a brighter futurethe numbers in Hagerstown are startling when you step back and look at them. 34 indicted for expansive drug trafficking operation This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Through the investigation and the evidence, officers were able to obtain 11 search warrants. Hagerstown Center Of Alleged Drug Conspiracy, Prosecutors Say We get to engage and feel like were being a positive influence on the city.. The Washington County Narcotics Task Force recovered approximately 188 grams of suspected heroin and 95 grams of suspected methamphetamine Monday from 807 Hamilton Blvd. . 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. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. ; Cody William Grant, 26, of 826 Dewey Ave., Apt. 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. This has been very beneficial since drug violators frequently move through the tri-state area. Hagerstown, MD 2 days ago. 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. Hagerstown, MD 3 days ago. Hagerstown, Maryland Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl and As Western Maryland battles the opioid crisis, meth is surging - DEA 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. Contact WCNTF if you have information on these persons (301) 791-3205, (Use the blue dots to scroll the list of wanted persons). 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. Police say most of these deals happened in broad daylight. I legitimately thought about that for five or six hours that day. He liked the feeling the Vicodin gave him and began to sometimes take the pills just for that hydrocodone buzz. Theyll deliver. A Hagerstown. Through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Smith supplied narcotics to Tyler and Eddie Ware, Hagerstown, Maryland heroin and fentanyl drug dealers. Additionally, in less than one month, Smith and Tyler contacted each other 714 times by cell phone. Situated near the Potomac River and what was once Western Maryland and West Virginia coal country, Hagerstown served as a vital gateway to the fertile Midwest. Joseph Archie Spain III, 44, of Preston, Maryland. Home to one-fourth of the countys population, Hagerstown accounts for the majority of those seeking treatment, as well as the majority of overdose fatalities, which included 21 city residents in the first four-and-a-half months of this yeara pace that would, if it continues, triple last years total. When you cant find work, cant pay your billswho wants to think about that? Spain is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, MD 21740. Baltimore, Md. Two drug busts were done on Wednesday after a three month investigation discovered a drug trafficking organization in the area. Maryland drug bust involving fentanyl, cocaine Some of the NFT agents are also federally deputized members of the DEA, which gives these local agents enforcement powers anywhere in the United States. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. 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 . Andre Luther Woolford, 33, of Hurlock, Maryland. Police seized drugs, cash and weapons from the residence, Kerns said. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. She can be reached via email at julieg@herald-mail.com. He moved on to 10-milligram Percocet, then 30-milligram. 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 cancollect their extra days supply of methadone or buprenorphine. Several weapons were seized, including two stolen handguns, as well as rifles and shotguns, Kerns said. Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, also known as Papi, 48, of the Dominican Republic, is one of 34 people indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of West Virginia on charges stemming froma multi-state drug operation, according to Randolph J. Bernard, the district's acting U.S. attorney. We have a long way to go, but the school has brought life downtown, Hovermale says. 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. 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. Press Release. 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. Politically, Washington County has always tilted right. 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. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. Rise of a street boss By 1973,. 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. 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. 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. 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. Breezy Jill Beckette, 22, of 807 Hamilton Blvd. The person arrested on the outstanding warrant was Violet Benjamin, 53, of Hagerstown. I was on the other side, and I get it, and people have every right to make that point.. As the former Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts for Washington County Public Schools, Rob Hovermale was involved in conversations as early as 2000 about opening a public arts high school in Hagerstowntalks that were largely dismissed at the time. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. The following agencies maintain drop boxes to drop off your not-needed prescription medication. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of heroin. 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. 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. Cameron Tibbs, one counts of distribution of heroin. , 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. All it takes is a little fentanylor a microgram of carfentanyl, which is 100 times more potent. The following people were indicted during the investigation: Justin Aaron Spain, 41, of Lanham, Maryland. 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. Justin Ernest Riggs, 33, was arrested Saturday and is accused of leaking information to a drug trafficking organization . In the first decades after World War II, during the early rumblings of the automobile age, Hagerstown continued to thrive, becoming a trucking hub as well a rail hub.
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