Travon Bristol, two counts possession with intent to distribute spice aka K-2 and one count of maintaining a common Nuisance. Most arent even here to get clean but to get by. NTF has partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Hagerstown Resident Office and works closely with Hagerstown Police Department's Street Crime Unit. 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. Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. TTY users may call any government office through the Maryland Relay Service 1-800-735-2258, Drug Activity Phone Tip Line 301-223-2632. 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. 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. 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. "If they just had a pipefine . Low 33F. 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, MD 21740. 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. 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. A methadone clinic was not a part of that vision. The number of child abuse cases has gone up. "The fact that a good portion of the investigation occurred during the pandemic makes the results even more impressive.". The Washington Narcotics Task Force has made 11 arrests in connection to a local drug trafficking organization investigation. Theyll deliver. To me, the urban improvement project is huge. The team lost its Orioles affiliation in the 1980s when the Os said goodbye to Hagerstown and hello to nearby Frederick. West Virginia State Police have denied a request to release dash camera footage or body camera footage of an incident on Feb. 12 on Interstate 81 in Berkeley County, W.Va., in which a Hagerstown man died after a struggle with a trooper. Grant also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of needles related to drugs; possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana; creating a common nuisance through distributing narcotics; and escape in the second degree, according to Kerns and online court records. The first three municipality lawsuits against drugmakersall Ohio casesare scheduled to be heard in U.S. District Court in Cleveland early next year. 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. 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. Joshua Reed, one count of distribution of heroin. 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. Additionally, in less than one month, Smith and Tyler contacted each other 714 times by cell phone. Julie E. Greene is a reporter for The Herald-Mail. Daily, he watches people, mostly in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, selling and scoring drugs in the citys central parking lot behind the gallery. More than 80 percent of students at three Hagerstown public schools receive free or reduced-priced lunches. Timothy Michael Ford, age 23 of Hagerstown, MD (1) Possession of heroin (2) 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. 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. 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. Four people were apprehended, three in relation to the possession of controlled substances, and one on an outstanding warrant. . A locked padlock 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. 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. He blames forces beyond the citys reach, as well as futile and often misguided leadership. High 56F. "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. Some folksa waitress with an apron tied around her waist, a guyin construction gearare clearly stopping by on their way to a job. , 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. 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. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Opioid crisis:Hagerstown, Washington County closer to seeing some opioid settlements, Drug deaths:Fatal drug overdoses hit record levels during COVID. 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. Men outside a Hammond Street garage. This pooling of investigative resources benefits each investigative unit with increased manpower, less duplication of effort, and by coordinating the targeting of drug offenders. 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. George Alfred Butler, 56, of Federalsburg, Maryland. Gregory Lovern Williams Jr., 39, of Federalsburg, Maryland. It could not be determined Wednesday if those arrested remained in custody or were on pre-trial release. I fully bought into the War on Drugs and what Reagan was doing, he says. CARROLL COUNTY 30-year-old James Samms was arrested for drug distribution conspiracy. Please provide as much information as possible, Your name and address/information is optional. Some NTF agents are even deputized by the DEA as Federal Task Force Officers (TFO's). 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. The two have been charged in connection with a drug distribution conspiracy in the Westminster area of Carroll County, Maryland. Two drug busts were done on Wednesday after a three month investigation discovered a drug trafficking organization in the area. Baltimore, Maryland Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Alternative Drug & Alcohol Counseling (ADAC), 370 Virginia Ave, Hagerstown MDPhone: (301) 766-0065 or email [emailprotected], 64 South Main Street, Boonsboro, MD 21713, Meetings in Parish House (Park in back, house to the right), Capturing Washington County, Maryland's faces, places and unique spaces with creative and artful imagery. Michael Anthony Holland, 36, of Hurlock, Maryland. On Monday, the following people were brought into custody: Terry Ernede Jr., two counts of distribution of heroin. 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. So far in 2020, the rate of overdoses in the county has increased with 83 non-fatal . 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.. 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. 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. 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. Plainspoken but good-natured, and a well-respected journalist, Elliott started atTheHerald-Mailin 1970. 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. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Smith accessed the storage unit on 39 separate occasions and obtained at least 250 grams of narcotics during his visits. A months-long investigation initiated by citizen complaints resulted in the arrests of two suspected drug dealers Wednesday. four counts of possession with intent to distribute spice, three counts of maintaining a common nuisance for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Now, how many families do you know that have been affected by addiction? Grant briefly escaped, fleeing while handcuffed, and was captured a short distance away, Kerns said. Life is great now, he says. 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. He was released after posting his $5,000 bond. More than 1,000 pounds of prescription medicine is collected in the first two hours of the event, which is held in an empty parking lot outside the county health offices. Through the investigation and the evidence, officers were able to obtain 11 search warrants. 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 can collect their extra day's supply . 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. Call (240) 382-2757 or get your auth barcode quickly online. When you cant find work, cant pay your billswho wants to think about that? 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. A drug bust by Hagerstown (MD) Police Department early this morning resulted in the confiscation of crack cocaine and nearly $4,000 in cash. All Rights Reserved. While he fled, Grant fell and injured himself, Kerns said. Arrest made in Feb. 5 Hagerstown homicide. 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. Contact WCNTF if you have information on these persons (301) 791-3205, (Use the blue dots to scroll the list of wanted persons). 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. Economists studying national trends say people should simply vacate towns like Hagerstownand seek work elsewhere. Information for Victims of 1st Million Dollars, LLC. Through further investigation, law enforcement determined that Smith supplied narcotics to Tyler and Eddie Ware, Hagerstown, Maryland heroin and fentanyl drug dealers. 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. As stated in his plea agreement, on August 9, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smiths Hagerstown, Maryland residence. HAGERSTOWN, Md. HAGERSTOWN (WJZ) --Seventeen Hagerstown residents and one Frederick resident were among 34 arrested Wednesday morning on indictments in a drug trafficking conspiracy. 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. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Washington County Narcotics Task Force for their work in the investigation. Spain is being held at the Caroline County Detention Center without bond. Shortly after Grant was taken into custody, the task force executed a search-and-seizure warrant at 807 Hamilton Blvd., Kerns said. Its low-income, and I think its hard for people to find and keep employment there, he says. 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. 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 rear of North and Locust Food Mart. Prosecutors alleged they conspired to sell 100 grams or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine and . 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. Police seized drugs, cash and weapons from the residence, Kerns said. And now, Hagerstowns unique coordinates, once its greatest asset, play a leading role in enabling its public health crisis. HAGERSTOWN, Md. 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 number of meth cases, particularly of one-pot meth labs in Western Maryland, has been experiencing a recent surge. HAGERSTOWN, Md. 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. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The NFT is housed within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the DEA's Hagerstown Office. Just like all shopping centers it's half empty now and easy to find parking. Indirectly, they could have a hand at reversing the public health crises in the long run, civic leaders say. 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. Christina Trenton Nee, COO, and Charlie Mooneyhan, CEO, of Wells House. The following people were indicted during the investigation: Justin Aaron Spain, 41, of Lanham, Maryland. 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. 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. Williams is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center held without bond. Inside the bedroom, Heather Strausbaugh sat talking with her client the conversation ranged from nightlife and bars to their families. The person arrested on the outstanding warrant was Violet Benjamin, 53, of Hagerstown. Read More. Andre Luther Woolford, 33, of Hurlock, Maryland. The 16-bed treatment project for women is partly to honor their daughter, who once shared her wish of getting off drugs and opening such a center with her parents, but it is also borne of frustration, as the family repeatedly struggled to get the help their daughter needed. 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. Prosecutors allege that Luna Mota, the owner of Top 3 Sources, was using the West Washington Street store to keep and sell drugs. Conspiracy to commit possession with intent to distribute narcotics. Six years ago, at an I-81 coalition meeting of stakeholders, Western Maryland state police commander Lt. Mike Fluharty coined the phrase Heroin Highway to describe Hagerstowns I-81/I-70 nexus. This isnt political. 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. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Joseph Archie Spain III, 44, of Preston, Maryland. Hagerstown, MD 4 days ago. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. In 2009, an old theater was transformed into BISFA, a magnet arts high school. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The charges includeconspiracy to distribute drugs, possession with intent to distribute drugs, and money laundering. Still, they are something of a Hail Mary pass for municipalities. 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. 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. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. She tried treatment and rehab several times, and even laid down on the familys lawn once, begging her father to shoot her to put her out of her misery. Multiple law enforcement agencies ultimately provided assistance with the investigation. Breezy Jill Beckette, 22, of 807 Hamilton Blvd. Frederick, which seems worlds away rather than a mere 20 minutes, has benefitted from its MARC train station, which has grown the town into a bedroom community of D.C. Its also close enough to Baltimore that people make the I-70 commute. 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. 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. 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. Citing a release from the U . "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. Mostly sunny skies with gusty winds. 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. 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. With the highways and economic factors, its all a perfect storm.. Christina Boward, two counts of distribution of heroin. 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. 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. Nobody I know. Margerette Derosiers, 28, of Federalsburg, Maryland. July 28, 2021 / 2:11 PM 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. 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. HAGERSTOWN, Md. Four people were apprehended, three in relation to the possession of controlled substances, and one on an outstanding warrant. 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. Anderson was charged with distribution of narcotics and possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not marijuana, according to online court records. A Hagerstown appliance store was allegedly used as a hub for the illegal activities. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. Bernard said agents serveda search warrant at the store in June and seized approximately $500,000 worth of drugs, including a kilogram of heroin and nine kilograms of cocaine. Jazzmen Vaughn, one count distribution of heroin and one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. Though extreme, the transition seemed gradual. The epidemic has not peaked yet by any means, says Mike Piercy, director of the Washington County Department of Social Services. 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,. Hagerstown, MD 3 days ago. He was taken into custody Tuesday at his Security Road home, Kerns said. 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. Hagerstown built automobiles, bottled Coca-Cola, made shoes, clothing, furniture, and Breyers ice cream, and was the worlds largest manufacturer of pipe organs. Stay up to date with the latest community news written by award-winning editors and local reporters. She highlighted not just the personal toll of the opioid epidemic on families but decreasing property values, its effect on businesses and workforce participation rates, and the immense strain placed on the citys police, EMS, and fire department budgets. The search warrants were a result of a multi- state . Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Since the start of the addiction crisis, which now kills more in the U.S. than car accidents and gun violence combined, emergency rescue calls have tripled in Hagerstown. William Miller, one count of distribution of heroin. Michael Romito, three counts of distribution of heroin. They dont stand a chance., The societal ripple effect of the opioid epidemic cant be overstated, says Piercy, who doesnt have to look any farther than outside his downtown Potomac Street office window to witness people nodding and passing out. 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 Possession/Use Opium (Heroin) CDS Sale/Manufacturing Cocaine, CDS Possession/Use- Cocaine CDS Possession/Use of Synthetic Narcotics (Fentanyl) CDS With Intent to Distribute Narcotics, CDS Possession- Not Cannabis CDS Possession/Use, (Use the blue dots to scroll the list of recent arrests). 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. Others walk from nearby apartments. 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? This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. This designation provides local agents enforcement powers anywhere in the United States. o understand the DNA of Hagerstown, you have to go back to the 19th-century industrial boom. Its like watching a slow train crash coming that you dont know how to stop.. Hitachi Rail Factory "on track" in Hagerstown. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. She talks enthusiasticallyand genuinelyabout the $40-million downtown revitalization effort and Hagerstowns future. Three people were taken into custody in Washington County last week on drug charges involving fentanyl and crack cocaine. Kevin Simmers relished locking up drug users, no matter how little crack they had on them. 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. There wasnt a door that I knocked on when I was campaigning for City Council that people didnt say heroin and the opioid crisis was the number one issue, Keller says. "If they just had a pipefine," he said. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . On at least 30 separate occasions between April 8 and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Wares residence. 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. The NFT is housed within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)at the DEAs Hagerstown Office. 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. a shuttered barber shop on Jonathan Street. All rights reserved. But he moved his family to Pennsylvania a couple years ago, leaving Hagerstown behind. 2023 Washington County. 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.