Torri Deann Richardson, 37, and Roger Dean Saylor III, 30, were. Grant was treated at Meritus Medical Center and released to authorities, Kerns said. Had we not gotten this building donated, it never wouldve happened, says Hovermale, whos lived in Hagerstown most of his life and now serves as principal of BISFA. 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. 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. Though extreme, the transition seemed gradual. If you are in immediate danger dial 911. Stretching from New York to Tennessee and Baltimore to Utah respectively, I-81 and I-70 are two of the longest interstates in the U.S., and they intersect in Hagerstown. We have a long way to go, but the school has brought life downtown, Hovermale says. Travon Bristol, two counts possession with intent to distribute spice aka K-2 and one count of maintaining a common Nuisance. Images courtesy of Hagerstown police Department. Spain is being held without bond at the Caroline County Detention Center. 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. 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. The task force said Oliver was previously arrested by Hagerstown Police Department officers last Wednesday for fleeing on foot from a car accident in the south end of Hagerstown. Stay up to date with the latest community news written by award-winning editors and local reporters. 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. This pooling of investigative resources benefits each investigative unit with increased manpower, less duplication of effort, and by coordinating the targeting of drug offenders. Daily, he watches people, mostly in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, selling and scoring drugs in the citys central parking lot behind the gallery. 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. Its not the white picket fence. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Four people were apprehended, three in relation to the possession of controlled substances, and one on an outstanding warrant. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. The seized drugs have a street value of approximately $471,000, according to prosecutors. The C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio) Canal, which passes through Washington County and primarily transported coal, was already in operation by then, having been completed in 1850. I 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. 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 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,. 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. Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Baltimore, Md. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Clear skies. HAGERSTOWN (WJZ) --Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug trafficking conspiracy. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . 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. 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. Hagerstown built automobiles, bottled Coca-Cola, made shoes, clothing, furniture, and Breyers ice cream, and was the worlds largest manufacturer of pipe organs. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. His associate, 33-year-old Rodney Gaines, or "Butta" was also arrested. Through the investigation and the evidence, officers were able to obtain 11 search warrants. 2023 Washington County. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Some NTF agents are even deputized by the DEA as Federal Task Force Officers (TFO's). 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. Prosecutors allege that Luna Mota, the owner of Top 3 Sources, was using the West Washington Street store to keep and sell drugs. 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. Gregory Lovern Williams Jr., 39, of Federalsburg, Maryland. Walter Javier Martinez, 17, was last seen in the area of Wellington Court and may have left in a blue vehicle. 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? 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. , 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. Others sell or trade their methadone or bupe (opioid medications used to suppress withdrawal symptoms) to buy the real thing, faking drug tests to game the system. Hitachi Rail Factory "on track" in Hagerstown. NOW PLAYING ABOVE. Ive seen growth in investor confidence, says Director of Community & Economic Development Jill Frick Thompson, attributing it to the citys 10-year plan. HAGERSTOWN, Md. On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. 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. The NFT is housed within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the DEA's Hagerstown Office. Smith accessed the storage unit on 39 separate occasions and obtained at least 250 grams of narcotics during his visits. Authorities are reporting 12 people have been charged with sex offenses, and seven victims have been placed into the harm reduction program with the Washington County Health Department. The homes that were searched were in Preston, Hurlock, Federalsburg, Lanham and Crofton. As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. Hagerstown is still a meat and potatoes kind of place, says Elliott. Maybe longer. Information entered into this system will be submitted to the Washington County Narcotics Task Force only. But the sad fact is that in 2018, Phoenix Health Center drawsmore people downtown than anything else on a Saturday. Nicholas Silverman, 20, Bronson Benjamin,33, both of Hagerstown, and Farrah Wisner, 19, of Baltimore were arrested and charged with possession. 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. HAGERSTOWN (WJZ) -- Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug trafficking conspiracy. A sitting train and truck behind a lot along West Franklin Street. 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. "Drug traffickers don't work nine-to-five hours, so the people investigating this case have to work 24-seven, and this team worked for approximately a year investigating this case," he said. 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. A locked padlock My daughter went to school with her. Up until that point, most people in Washington County viewed addiction as a criminal justice issue. Grant briefly escaped, fleeing while handcuffed, and was captured a short distance away, Kerns said. Now, however, nearly all of the rails leading into downtown have been removed. 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. That investigation led to the Narcotics Task Force obtaining 9 search warrants. 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. Politically, Washington County has always tilted right. Andre Luther Woolford, 33, of Hurlock, Maryland. A Hagerstown appliance store owner is charged with using it as a front for an illegal drug operation estimated to havehandled millions of dollars worth of drugs and proceeds, according to federal authorities. Baltimore, Maryland Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. -- The number of meth cases, particularly of one-pot meth labs in Western Maryland, has been experiencing a recent surge. 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. In an emotional press conference, she pointed the finger directly at the pharmaceutical companies, including Purdue Pharma, which hired hundreds of sales representatives to promote their product and has been accused of using misleading information to hide the drugs addiction potential. 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. Inside the bedroom, Heather Strausbaugh sat talking with her client the conversation ranged from nightlife and bars to their families. in Hagerstowns North End, according to Lt. Todd Kerns, who served as the task forces director in 2013. Bernard had high praise for the cooperative efforts of the agencies involved, saying "they did a tremendous job. 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. Citing a release from the U . The man seemed nervous. A huge component of this initiative includes a $40-million effort, started in 2017, which will expand three key institutionsthe University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, the Maryland Theatre, and Barbara Ingram School for the Artswith a slated completion date of spring of 2020. A release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office revealed the following: The charges includeconspiracy to distribute drugs, possession with intent to distribute drugs, and money laundering. 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. The drugs seized during the investigation amounted to 8.6 kilograms of cocaine, 1.02 kilograms of heroin, and 12 ounces of crack cocaine, with a street value of approximately $471,000. 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. The Washington County Narcotics Task Force recovered approximately 188 grams of suspected heroin and 95 grams of suspected methamphetamine Monday from 807 Hamilton Blvd. Anderson was charged with distribution of narcotics and possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not marijuana, according to online court records. 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. A Maryland State Police corporal who occasionally works out of the Hagerstown barrack was arrested Saturday for allegedly leaking case information and abetting an illegal drug operation, according to federal court documents. Thats everyone I know. Theres an unmistakable world-wearinesswritten into their faces. Hes married with children and living his dream of being a full-time musician, touring his original folk-country songs across the U.S. Washington County > Washington County Maryland Narcotics Task Force. U.S. Attorney's Office December 21, 2012. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Washington County Narcotics Task Force for their work in the investigation. Baltimore, Maryland - Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.. "The operation in this case, I think it's fair to say, dealt with millions of dollars of drugs and proceeds," he said. In addition to Mota, the news release listed those indicted in connection with the alleged operation as: All but 11 of the defendants had been arrested as of Wednesday. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Neither did the Washington County health officer or then-Hagerstown Police Chief Arthur Smith, who questioned the wisdom of opening a methadone clinic in a city that, he claimed, did not have a heroin problem. Local Hagerstown, MD. 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. However, the shops we visited had good deals and were brightly lit, clean and had nice staff. February 21, 2023. To me, the urban improvement project is huge. The National Road, Route 40, began carrying wagon trains through Hagerstown to the Ohio River Valley in 1818. George Wallace campaigned here in 1968 and 1972. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. On Monday, the following people were brought into custody: Terry Ernede Jr., two counts of distribution of heroin. A handful, with newer haircuts and cars, might be professionalssomewhere in this politically conservative county. Additionally, in less than one month, Smith and Tyler contacted each other 714 times by cell phone. ; Cody William Grant, 26, of 826 Dewey Ave., Apt. Jazzmen Vaughn, one count distribution of heroin and one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. 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. Justin Ernest Riggs, 33, was arrested Saturday and is accused of leaking information to a drug trafficking organization . a shuttered barber shop on Jonathan Street. 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. Holland is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center without bond. Christine Jenkins, one count 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. #washcoproud, CDS Possession/Use of Cocaine and Derivatives, CDS Possession/Use of Synthetic Narcotics (Fentanyl), CDS Sale/Manufacturing Synthetic Narcotics (Fentanyl), CDS Sale/Manufacturing Other Dangerous Drugs, CDS With Intent to Distribute Narcotics, Please contact Deb Fling at (301) 514-7373 or email, Washington County Government is hiring for full-ti, The Washington County Office of Emergency Manageme, SAVE THE DATE! This designation provides local agents enforcement powers anywhere in the United States. Derosiers isBeing held at the Dorchester County Detention Center held without bond. But how many people do you know that have been attacked by a terrorist? Still at largewere Mota, Luna, Rodriguez, Longus, Rose,Orrillio,Velasquez-Lopez,Pinkcett, Gregory, Brown and Nunez-Arias, authorities said. The seizures, and the refills, continued for about eight months, then ceased, but Morningstar found himself dependent on the narcoticphysically, mentally, and emotionally. CARROLL COUNTY 30-year-old James Samms was arrested for drug distribution conspiracy. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines in Caroline and Dorchester counties and parts of Delaware. 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. Earlier this spring, Keller, the city councilwoman who lost her best friend to an overdose, announced that the city would be joining several hundred municipalities, counties, and states in pursuing legal action against the nations largest drugmakers, alleging that they played a key role in launching the opioid epidemic. It is a cruel twist that Hagerstown, on the receiving end of so much heroin from Baltimore, has such a shortage of addiction specialists that the Wells House, one of the largest outpatient clinics here, utilizes Baltimore doctors via telemedicine to treat its clients. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office arrested and charged 12 people in a drug bust Wednesday. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Patrica Diaz,four counts of possession with intent to distribute spice, three counts of maintaining a common nuisance for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. This epidemic, largely caused by the pharmaceutical industrys complete lack of accountability or care about anyone or anything other than their pockets, has wreaked havoc on my city, Keller said. The Washington County Narcotics Task Force received assistance from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Hagerstown Police . 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. 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. Please provide as much information as possible, Your name and address/information is optional. Nobody I know. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. 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. The first search was in the 500 block of Lynnehaven Drive in Hagerstown. Smith accessed the storage unit on 39 separate occasions and obtained at least 250 grams of narcotics during his visits. Thats a lot of drugs, Kerns said Wednesday in a phone interview. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. The indictments were returned July 20, said Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard of the northern district of West Virginia. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Cameron Tibbs, one counts of distribution of heroin. 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. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Theyre bringing in students from nearby counties and occasionally out of state. 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. 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. (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. She mentions the increased training for Narcan, a medication that can prevent fatal overdoses, across the city. icki Sterling, director of the Washington County Health Departments Division of Behavorial Health Services, says the turning point for the county in addressing the opioid epidemic was the death of former Hagerstown police sergeant Kevin Simmers daughter, Brooke, who overdosed on heroin 10 days after she had been released from a four-month prison stay. There were a few people dedicated to establishing a Maryland orchestra, a few people trying to revive the Maryland Theatre. Summer Camp registration opens Apri, Congratulations to Boot Barn for celebrating a rib, On behalf of the National Park Service, the Washin, Check out the special events Washington County Rec, In observance of Presidents' Day, Washington Count, Americans with Disabilities Act Information. People often use the term self-medicating to describe why people use drugs or alcohol, says Ron Zuskin, a licensed clinical social worker and former University of Maryland faculty member who has worked in Western Maryland. District of New Jersey (973) 645-2888. Its not as conscious a decision as that. Its low-income, and I think its hard for people to find and keep employment there, he says. She can be reached via email at julieg@herald-mail.com. In 2016 (the most recent year available), an average of 113 prescriptions for opioids were written for every 100 Washington County residentsnearly twice the national average. Breezy Jill Beckette, 22, of 807 Hamilton Blvd. We get to engage and feel like were being a positive influence on the city.. After the public schools and hospital, the largest employers in Washington County today are the sprawling Citi and First Data call centers. 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. Then he went from eating it to snorting it. 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. I was on the other side, and I get it, and people have every right to make that point.. Martinsburg Police Chief George Swartwood said the arrests and seizures of drugs represent "more to this community than just numbers on a page.". NEWARK, NJTwo members of an alleged drug trafficking ring based . 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. Or an illegal immigrant? The rest of the state did not share that history, and Hagerstown and towns like it are dealing with something entirely new. The Frederick Police Department is seeking assistance locating a 17-year-old male, who has been missing since June. 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. It could not be determined Wednesday if those arrested remained in custody or were on pre-trial release. Plainspoken but good-natured, and a well-respected journalist, Elliott started atTheHerald-Mailin 1970. Four people were apprehended, three in relation to the possession of controlled substances, and one on an outstanding warrant.