In 2017, the West Virginia board of pharmacy dismissed its director for failing to properly regulate the flood of opioids to the states pharmacies and investigate suspicious deliveries. Covid-19 could be making things worse. Ballengee testified in earlier civil depositions that he was filling between 150 and 200 opioid prescriptions a day from the Wellness clinic alone, but claimed to see no reason for suspicion. Rattini is accused of distributing narcotic painkillers illegally to more than 200 pharmacies across West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee. Chance of rain 90%. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. The two decades of the opioid epidemic is a story of missed opportunities, large and small. Daily updates from Blue Gold News for WVU sports. Published June 22, 2021 4:25 a.m. PDT Share TORONTO - Twenty people are facing rafts of charges each and more than $61 million worth of cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana was seized in what. U.S. Atty. Critics have said it could be used to challenge local nondiscrimination ordinances or government-mandated vaccine requirements. Low near 55F. WVU faculty weigh in on aftermath of chemical spill, Clay County native honored by FBI for accomplishments as Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chocolate chemistry explained by a food scientist, Sweets with a Swiss twist for Valentine's Day, Ask an expert: 7 most common questions about automatic home generators, One A Day: Small Daily Acts of Self-Care Go a Long Way to Health. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Temperatures in Virginia. The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Share with Us. There was an error processing your request. Those four were: Michael Figueroa, 28, charged with federal counts of conspiracy to distribute concaine base, aiding and abetting maintaining a drug involved premises and distribution of cocaine base. Police say 33-year-old James Martell Frazier, of Cambridge, Maryland, and Seaford, Delaware, was the leader, supervisor, financier and manager of an illegal drug network that spanned multiple . I hope I am wrong about what happens to him now even if he was clearly asking for it. Four suspects named in the indictment remain at large: Jennifer Bing, Parris McMillan, Mark David and Travis Walters, Terwilliger said. Investigators discovered the pharmacies lined up bottles pre-filled with set amounts of pills. Low 34F. Barnett, who owned Family Pharmacy, also professed not to know the reputation of the Wellness Center or that it had a list of acceptable pharmacies for patients to fill opioid prescriptions and that his was on it. He tells the Panhandle News Network it was a record-breaking seizure. Over 100 arrests in Jackson County after biggest drug warrant sweep in West Virginia history, Parent volunteer charged in alleged relationship with a minor, Man faces dozens of child sex abuse charges, One recovering after shooting in Kanawha County. Don't Threaten. Copen, Samuel Bo Copen, Jesse Copen, Sandy Copen, Nikki Copen, Stacy Williams, Brandon Carpenter, Debbie Wright, Jessica Ward, Karrisa Griffith, Terry Lewis, Sammy Kesterson, Brenda Gray, Janet McKinney, T.J. Sweet, Belinda Seabolt, Warren Ryder, Mandy Hinkle, Rick Wright, Chris Harris, Kelly Potter, Stacy Hanshaw, Sandra Cartwright, Earl Taylor, Witley Cogar, Dave Lawrence, Misty Russell, Sam Griffith, Chris Redden, Coy Gwinn, Randy Tinney, Matt Shaffer, Charlie Thomas, Miranda Puckett, n Summersville area: Brittany Potter, Jason Dancy, Bart Legg, Crystal Cook, Mark Grose, J.R. Ellison, n Craigsville area: Danny Holmes, Jason Johnson, Rick Meadows, John Hall,Nikki Myers, Candice Bess, Amber Farley, Stacey Bays, Candy Dillard, Tim Wright, Andy Rose, n Birch River area: Donna Gregory, Rebecca Morris, John Criss, Pat Dillion, n Mount Nebo/Ennon areas: Andrew Haas, Matt Lipps, Edward Stricker, Eddie Hughes, n Ansted/Fayetteville/Oak Hill/Mount Hope areas: Zach Hodge, Andy Walton, Watrina Jackson, Patty Adkins, Jackie Young, Chelsie Adkins, Christa Smith, William Smith, Austin Smith, Jericho Wriston, Shannon ODell, Jerome Comer, Michael Stanley, Michael Payne, Marcus Brisco, Keri Jacobowski, Trisha McMillan, Aaron Pack, Travis Hopkins, Jareth Myers, n Gauley Bridge/Smithers/Montgomery/Powellton/WV Route 61 areas: Michael Schoolcraft, Eddie Young, Joey Given, Yvonne Legg, Speedy Legg, George Leake III, Jeff Evans, Eric Perez, Cameron Cochron, Rayshawn Payne, Shawn Patton, Bubby Fragale, Barry Mitchell, Kevin Smith. The charges for those arrested include distribution of controlled substances and conspiracy. It was a profound stop and seizure of extremely hard drugs that have plagued this area and others, according to Martinsburg Police Chief George Swartwood. Federal authorities seized 15,000 kilos of cocaine, worth as much as $1 billion, at a Philadelphia shipping port, officials said Tuesday. These arrests are the culmination of that effort. Years later, all of the pharmacists claim to have not seen any of this. In 2016, a major drug distributor, McKesson abruptly ended its contract with Tug Valley Pharmacy when West Virginias attorney general, Patrick Morrisey, filed a lawsuit against the company accusing it of recklessly distribution millions of pills across the state. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The last thing we want is for the US Postal Service to become the nations largest drug dealer and there are people way above my pay grade working on that, but absolutely its about putting pressure on the Chinese, Terwilliger said. Duluth police say this is the largest drug bust in history for the region. Roughly enough Heroin to supply an estimated 500,000 heroin users for a month. Its a potential game changer for Huntington and southern West Virginia, Stuart said. The arrests, which . The boards punishment was to require him to write a book report on a medical textbook called Responsible Opioid Prescribing: A Physicians Guide. We want people to know we are in this fight and were going to keep on it, he said. PHILADELPHIA - Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Wednesday that his office's "Kensington Initiative" netted its sixth major . highways in biggest drug bust in Broome's history Sign up for local job offers sent to your inbox. Tiano lost his medical licence. Reporting from CHARLESTON, W.Va. . Up until his arrest, Ballengee continued to insist that he was doing no more than filling prescriptions written by doctors. No longer will we tolerate this epidemic. Ellifritz, who previously worked in the Keyser Police Department, added that he definitely believes Its the biggest in the city of Keyser with all the combined drugs.. ELKINS, W.Va. -- Two dozen people face federal drug and gun charges following an investigation in Virginia and West Virginia, according to U.S. Attorney Bill Ihlenfeld. Cabell County, which includes Huntington, has been hit especially hard. Ihlenfeld said nine of those charged were already incarcerated. Still at largewere Mota, Luna, Rodriguez, Longus, Rose,Orrillio,Velasquez-Lopez,Pinkcett, Gregory, Brown and Nunez-Arias, authorities said. Harrah said Fayette Countys drug problem, which he called the top priority of the county, affects everything from insurance rates to crime. Martinsburg authorities look back on record drug bust. Get the Jackson Star & Herald Delivered to your email everyday! Oh, we were aware. Closings & Delays. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. The people who were indicted include: 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. Weather Alerts. Ballengee and the other drug store owners kept escalating the orders, and the distributors filled them without flinching. JCSO officials say Operation Centennial Sweep totaled 113 warrants for drugs involving methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, prescription narcotics, and marijuana. Jenni Vincent 0:04 0:35 MARTINSBURG, W.Va. Berkeley County Sheriff Nathan Harmon is proud of his department's record marijuana bust, which netted product with an estimated street value of more. More than 20 people charged in drug bust in Central Virginia, Shenandoah Valley. Sign up to receive our daily newsletter about all things business and politics in West Virginia. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. News, Sports and Events from around Grafton and Taylor County! Dozens of people were arrested Tuesday in a major drug trafficking sweep in Huntington, W.Va., a city hit hard by the opioid epidemic. All in a town of fewer than 3,000 people. Hourly & 8-Day Forecast. Richard Montgomery High School student accused of robbing Shell gas station at knifepoint. 267lbs. Ballengee was arrested in July, days after an Ohio court released Drug Enforcement Administration documents showing that pharmaceutical distributors delivered millions of opioid pills to his tiny pharmacy. The suspects transported the drugs using hidden traps in privately owned vehicles, semi-trailers, trucks, and recreational vehicles, authorities said. It shows that were trying to address the problem, he said, noting that authorities wont simply sit back on their hands once their work is gone from the headlines. If the warnings sounded by pain specialists and doctors in the first few years had been heeded, the crisis might have been averted or at least greatly diminished. Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Employment | Affiliates Intranet 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. On one day in August 2016, more than two dozen people in Huntington overdosed on heroin during a five-hour span. that is degrading to another person. Subscribe today. Published: Jan. 13, 2021 at 9:55 AM PST. MARTINSBURG, W.Va. Police Chief George Swartwood is proud of the men and women of his force . On Monday, officers arrested Eric Armstrong, 38; Krystal Dellagatta, 30 and Roger Ware, 43, and seized 1.7 pounds of methamphetamine. BRIDGEPORT In a collaborative effort from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, more than 80 people have been charged in one of the biggest drug busts in North Central West Virginia. The task force said the arrests occurred after investigators made hundreds of controlled purchases of narcotics and gathered evidence to substantiate the allegations before obtaining warrants. Participating in the bust were members of the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a Safe Streets/TOC West, and HIDTA-Funded Initiative consisting of the Keyser Police Department, Mineral County Sheriffs Office, Hampshire County Sheriffs Office, West Virginia State Police, DEA and FBI. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. According to Keyser Police Chief Jared Bruce, the officers confiscated approximately an ounce of cocaine base (crack), 10 ounces of cocaine HCL, two pounds of methamphetamine (ice / crystal meth), approximately 10,000 pressed fentanyl tablets, 150 pounds of marijuana, 327 THC vape cartridges, five firearms, three vehicles and an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency. Nelson County's Commonwealth's Attorney Daniel Rutherford said this comes from a . Do Not Sell My Personal Information JACKSON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Dozens of people have been arrested in a large scale drug warrant sweep that is underway in Jackson County, West Virginia . In some cases, the defendants face penalties of five to 40 years in prison, 20 years in prison and 10 years to life, Bernard said. I would also like to thank the public for the copious number of tips that lead to these types of narcotics being removed from the streets.. But Smith quickly discovered that users were happy to tell him where he could find doctors to write prescriptions and drug stores to fill them no questions asked. The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia. Untied States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld (center) along with Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney Rachel Romano (right) and Bridgeport Police Chief John Walker (left) talks about a collaborative effort between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that led to the arrests of 87 people in a North Central West Virginia drug bust. Under Trump, the jobs boom . Derrick Hamlet, 27, of Morgantown West Virginia Giovanni George, 32, of Taylor, Michigan, and Kenneth Jones, 27, of Detroit, Michigan, remain at large. Terrence McGuirk, 51, who was jailed after the historic "Project Parkersburg" drug bust, was sentenced for conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. The illicit fentanyl thats coming in, the vast majority is from China and a lot of it is coming in through the mails, he said at a press conference announcing the arrests. In 2007, someone anonymously tipped off the West Virginia medical board that Tiano was prescribing illegally. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. 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Keep it Clean. Authorities seized nearly 500 pounds of methamphetamines worth roughly $18 . Richmond Weather Cams. Ballengee testified in earlier civil depositions. Weekly email alert sent every Tuesday and Friday afternoon for Preston County! Daily news from the Mineral News & Tribune delivered to your email! & $600,000 seized in drug bust. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. The arrests were made . It boggles my mind, said Sparks, the mayor. To the watching investigators, the stone building with a peaked red roof looked more like a rural cabin than a fount for the millions of opioid pills spilling across Appalachia. On his release, Abad was deported to his home country, the Philippines, where he continues to practise. At the Disco breaking up after almost 20 years of music (FlipSide). KEYSER, W.Va. (WV News) A Keyser man remains jailed after being arrested earlier this month in what law enforcement officials believe is the largest drug bust in Keyser history. Were standing out there with a couple of uniformed troopers and cars just keep going up, said Ciccarelli. A Warner Bros. There was a lot of money being made.. Scientists believe genetically-engineered blight-resistant trees will bring them back, Saving our applause until the curtain falls, Newel Health Awarded $2.5M Research Grant from The Michael J. High 78F. It doesnt give the opportunity for information to get spread throughout the illegal drug community, he said. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. Mike Stuart said more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers targeted nearly 100 people for arrests aimed at dismantling a multistate distribution network. I would like to personally thank all involved agencies for their combined effort in removing this number of narcotics off the streets of Keyser, Mineral County, and the state of West Virginia, Bruce said. 2023 Cable News Network. You have permission to edit this article. Threats of harming another This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Daily News, Sports and Events for Garrett County and surrounding areas. The doctors at the clinic he set up were each jailed for a year. While this mass-arrest initiative is certainly a step in the right direction, we are well aware that countless additional individuals remained involved in the sale and distribution of narcotics in our respective counties.. Keep going up, said Ciccarelli boggles my mind, said Ciccarelli, trucks, and the distributors filled without! 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